REDUCTIVE ALKYLATION OF NITRILES WITH CARBONYL COMPOUNDS IN THE PRESENCE OF NANOSTUCTURED SUPPORTED NICKEL CATALYST

Reductive alkylation of nitriles with aldehydes and ketones using nickel nanoparticles supported on NaX zeolite as catalyst proceeds at 140-200 °C with the formation of the corresponding secondary and tertiary amines in 46-80 % yields.

Difluoroalkylation of tertiary amides and lactams by an iridium-catalyzed reductive Reformatsky reaction

The synthesis of medicinally relevant α-difluoroalkylated amines by an iridium-catalyzed reductive alkylation of tertiary amides and lactams with difluoro-Reformatsky reagents, is described. This report features the introduction of various geminal difluoro-acetates and -acetamides as well as late stage derivatization of APIs, gram scale synthesis and downstream functionalizations.