Regioselective palladium-catalyzed synthesis of beta-arylated primary allylamine equivalents by an efficient Pd-N coordination.

A highly regioselective Heck arylation, utilizing aryl triflates and a palladium/dppf catalytic system, can be performed at the internal, beta-carbon of Boc- and phthalimido-protected allylamines, yielding arylated primary allylamine equivalents. The very high regioselectivity obtained with secondary Boc-protected allylamides is suggested to be caused by an efficient coordination between an anionic nitrogen and palladium. Single-mode microwave irradiation has been utilized to shorten the reaction times and, in the case of Boc-protected allylamides, to improve the yields of two electron-poor aryl triflates.