N-alkylation of phenethylamine and tryptamine

A clean and efficient method for the N-alkylation of tryptamine and phenethylamine, employing alcohols as the alkylating agents, has been developed. The reaction proceeds via catalytic electronic activation, involving an iridium catalyst which activates the alcohol by borrowing hydrogen from the substrate, returning it later in the catalytic cycle. Some examples of N-heterocyclisation have been performed employing a diol as the substrate. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.