A simple one-pot method for the mercuric oxide mediated synthesis of piperazines via oxidative diamination of olefins

Mercuric oxide mediated one-pot synthesis of substituted piperazines via oxidative diamination of olefins with N-protected ethylene diamine has been reported. Among the various conditions tried, mercuric(II)oxide/tetrafluoroboric acid gave good to excellent yields of the desired products. A series of piperazines have been synthesized and characterized by NMR and mass spectroscopy methods.