Ruthenium hydride/nitrogen tridentate ligand-catalyzed α-alkylation of acetamides with primary alcohols

The a-alkylation reaction of acetamides with primary alcohols to afford the corresponding amides was accomplished effectively using RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)(3) as a catalyst, nitrogen tridentate ligand L1 as an additive, and (KOBu)-Bu-t as a base. While the addition of bpy was effective only for benzylic alcohols, L1 affected the alkylation reaction when both benzylic and non-benzylic type alcohols were used.