Iodine-mediated 1,2-aryl migration of primary benzhydryl amines

Abstract

An iodine-mediated 1,2-aryl migration reaction of primary benzhydryl amines under transition metal-free conditions has been achieved. The crude imines generated by this rearrangement reaction can be directly transformed into various aromatic secondary amine derivatives via reduction or addition reactions. This sequential synthetic process is operationally simple and can be successfully conducted on a gram scale.