Zirconium-Catalyzed Intermolecular Hydroamination of Alkynes with Primary Amines

A simple catalyst system generated in situ by combination of 5 mol-% [Zr(NMe2)4] and 10 mol-% of a sulfonamide catalyzes the intermolecular hydroamination of alkynes with primary amines. At elevated temperatures, hydroamination is achieved with both internal and terminal alkynes as well as with sterically demanding and less demanding primary amines. In contrast, secondary amines do not react under identical conditions. Of the sulfonamide additives investigated, sterically demanding tosylamides such as N-(tert-butyl)-p-toluenesulfonamide give the best results. The regioselectivity of the addition of amine to unsymmetrically substituted internal as well as terminal alkynes is significantly influenced by the nature of the sulfonamide additive. In particular, the successful use of sterically less demanding primary amines such as n-hexyl- or benzylamine clearly indicates that the assumption that Zr catalysts generally form catalytically inactive bridging mu 2-imido dimers or other unreactive intermediates in the presence of these amines is not correct.