10.1021/acscatal.6b03088.s001 Jeff Joseph A. Celaje Jeff Joseph A. Celaje Xingyue Zhang Xingyue Zhang Forrest Zhang Forrest Zhang Lisa Kam Lisa Kam Jessica R. Herron Jessica R. Herron Travis J. Williams Travis J. Williams A Base and Solvent-Free Ruthenium-Catalyzed Alkylation of Amines American Chemical Society 2016 conditions offer reaction conditions Mechanistic studies hydrogen-borrowing mechanism group compatibility Solvent-Free Ruthenium-Catalyzed Alkylation imine formation redox steps chemoselective benzylic N-alkylation catalyst 2016-12-30 00:00:00 Journal contribution https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/A_Base_and_Solvent-Free_Ruthenium-Catalyzed_Alkylation_of_Amines/4531763 A (pyridyl)­phosphine-ligated ruthenium­(II) catalyst is reported for the chemoselective benzylic N-alkylation of amines, via a hydrogen-borrowing mechanism. The catalyst operates under mild conditions, neat, and without a base or other additive. These conditions offer remarkable functional group compatibility for applications in organic synthesis, including reactions involving phenols and anilines, which are very difficult to achieve. Mechanistic studies suggest that, unlike other catalysts for this reaction, the redox steps are fast and reversible while imine formation is slow. We perceive that this is the origin of the selectivity realized with these reaction conditions.