Kinetics and mechanism of triethylamine-catalyzed 1,3-proton shift: Optimized and substantially improved reaction conditions for biomimetic reductive amination of fluorine-containing carbonyl compounds

Kinetic study of the triethylamine (TEA)-catalyzed isomerization of imine, derived from benzylamine and trifluoroacetophenone to the corresponding N-benzylidene-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(phenyl)ethylamine has revealed concerted nature of the mechanism of this reaction via a virtually unionized transition state. As a synthetic bonus of this kinetic study, we found that application of a polar solvent (acetonitrile) and four equivalents of TEA provide for optimal reaction conditions at high concentrations. We demonstrate that application of these reaction conditions allows to substantially increase the reaction rates, chemical yields and results in cleaner formation of the target products.