Microwave-assisted solventless reaction of iridium-catalyzed alkylation of amines with alcohols in the absence of base.

Microwave-assisted iridium catalyzed alkylation of amines with alcohols was undertaken under solvent-free and base-free conditions. Such alkylation reactions are green, atom-economic, and effective for mono-, di-, and triaklyation of amines. Good isolated yields were obtained for mono- and dialkylated amines using stoichiometric amounts of amines and alcohols, in the presence of 1 mol % [Cp*IrCl(2)](2). Reasonable yields of trialkylated products were obtained using 4 equiv of alcohols.