Benzimidazolium sulfonate ligand precursors and application in ruthenium-catalyzed aromatic amine alkylation with alcohols

New benzimidazolium sulfonate salts have been prepared and fully characterized. They have been associated in situ with [RuCl2(p-cymene)](2) to generate efficient catalytic systems operating at 120 degrees C under neat conditions in the presence of potassium tert-butylate for selective N-alkylation of primary aromatic amines into secondary amines. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.