Efficient access to unprotected primary amines by iron-catalyzed aminochlorination of alkenes

Abstract

Salt and iron ease the way to amines Adding nitrogen to carbon compounds is often a laborious process. The nitrogen typically needs protection to prevent undesired reactivity, and the protecting groups can be hard to remove afterward. Legnani et al. report a versatile method to add unadorned NH 2 from a hydroxylamine derivative directly to a double-bonded carbon center. A simple iron catalyst manipulates chloride from table salt onto the adjacent carbon through a radical mechanism, where it is poised for a wide variety of further functionalization options. Science , this issue p. 434