Ruthenium-catalysed synthesis of tertiary amines from alcohols

Secondary amines have been converted into tertiary amines by reactions with primary alcohols. A catalytic system of [Ru(cymene)Cl2]2 with dppf has been shown to be effective for this transformation for a range of primary alcohols and secondary amines. The methodology has been applied to the one pot synthesis of Piribedil and other piperazine and morpholine-containing products.