Direct Catalytic N-Alkylation of Amines with Carboxylic Acids.

A straightforward process for the N-alkylation of amines has been developed applying readily available carboxylic acids and silanes as the hydride source. Complementary to known reductive aminations, effective C–N bond construction proceeds under mild conditions and allows obtaining a broad range of alkylated secondary and tertiary amines, including fluoroalkyl-substituted anilines as well as the bioactive compound Cinacalcet HCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]