Nickel/Briphos-Catalyzed Direct Transamidation of Unactivated Secondary Amides Using Trimethylsilyl Chloride.

Direct transamidation of secondary amides was developed via nickel catalysis. In the presence of trimethylsilyl chloride and manganese, Ni(diglyme)Cl2 with a Briphos ligand efficiently promoted the transamidation of N-aryl benzamide derivatives with primary amines to afford the corresponding secondary amides in moderate to good yields. Primary amines bearing electron-donating groups gave higher yields of the transamidation products.