Tantalum–Amidate Complexes for the Hydroaminoalkylation of Secondary Amines: Enhanced Substrate Scope and Enantioselective Chiral Amine Synthesis

Abstract

Tantalizing reactivity: New mono- and bis(amidate)–tantalum complexes have been prepared, characterized, and used for the catalytic α-alkylation of secondary amines (see scheme). Spontaneous β-hydrogen abstraction is observed to give a fully characterized example of the first catalytically active tantallaaziridine complex.