a-Amination of Carbonyl Compounds Using Ammonia Under Oxidative Conditions

We herein report a method for the direct a-amination of different carbonyl compounds by using aqueous ammonium as the N-source. Upon using ammonia in combination with hypochlorites as simple oxidants under phase-transfer conditions it is possible to carry out the direct oxidative a-amination of cyclic b-ketoesters, oxindoles as well as malonitriles and malonates with good to excellent yields. Furthermore, a first proof-of-concept for an asymmetric variant by employing chiral ammonium salts was obtained.