Coupling of two multistep catalytic cycles for the one-pot synthesis of propargylamines from alcohols and primary amines on a nanoparticulated gold catalyst.

A one-pot reaction was performed with a nanoparticulated gold catalyst. A secondary amine is formed through N-monoalkylation of a primary amine with an alcohol by a borrowing hydrogen methodology in a three-step reaction. The secondary amine formed enters into a second A(3)-coupling cycle to give propargylamines. The multistep reaction requires a gold species formed and stabilized on a ceria surface.