A convenient reductive deamination (hydrodeamination) of aromatic amines.

Reductive deamination (hydrodeamination) of aromatic amines can be conveniently carried out by amination of the corresponding arylamine methanesulfonamides using chloroamine under alkaline conditions. The intermediate aryl methanesulfonylhydrazines directly eliminate methanesulfinic acid, affording diazenes which extrude nitrogen affording the desired deaminated products. Both sulfonamide formation and reduction reactions occur in high yield and are compatible with a variety of functional groups.