Synthesis of (2-aminoethyl)ferrocenes from the reaction of lithium amides with vinylferrocene

Lithium amides react with vinylferrocene in the presence of TMEDA to provide the corresponding (2-aminoethyl)ferrocenes in good to excellent yields. A range of secondary amines can be employed in this amidolithiation reaction, with cyclic derivatives affording particularly good yields of the 2-aminoethyl-substituted ferrocene product. This operationally simple procedure provides one of the most straightforward routes to this class of mono-substituted ferrocene.