Another ammonia equivalent

05 August 2005

Hartwig and coworkers* have reported zinc trimethylsilylamide as a mild ammonia equivalent for the amination of aryl halides and triflates.

It may not be the most atom efficient process, but yields are high, and both aryl bromides and aryl chlorides react (although increased  temperature is required for the latter). Aryl halides with base sensitive functionality are successfully coupled in high yields.

*D.-Y. Lee and J.F. Hartwig, Organic Letters 2005, 7, 1169-1172.