Palladium-catalyzed allylic amination using aqueous ammonia for the preparation of primary amines has been realized. It is noteworthy that the use of aqueous ammonia is essential and that ammonia gas did not react at all. The first catalytic asymmetric synthesis using aqueous ammonia as a nitrogen source has also been demonstrated.
Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, The HFRE Division, ERATO, Japan Science Technology Agency, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
