One-Pot, Tandem Reductive Amination/Alkylation–Cycloamidation for Lactam Synthesis from Keto or Amino Acids

Abstract

Monotrifluoroacetoxyborane-amines, prepared by treating borane-amines with trifluoroacetic acid, have been shown to be efficient reagents for a one-pot, tandem reductive amination/alkylation−cycloamidation of keto or amino acids to achieve the synthesis of 5-aryl or 5-methyl pyrrolidin-2-ones and 6-aryl or 6-methyl piperidin-2-ones.

Reductive Aminomethylation Using Ammonium Formate and Methanol as N1 and C1 Source: Direct Synthesis of Mono- and Di-Methylated Amines

“…Selective catalytic transformation of biomass-derived levulinic acid (LA) is highly attractive in sustainable production of chemicals and has been considered as one of the important compounds due to its easier and economical production from lignocellulosic materials. , Pyrrolidones or other NH lactams can be produced by reductive amination of LA or other keto acids. − However, most of the recent studies on this reductive amination required formic acid or other external hydrogen sources as a reductant and further N -methylation of those lactams with methanol is highly challenging due to lower reactivity of such amides. − …”