Methylation of secondary amines with dialkyl carbonates and hydrosilanes catalysed by iron complexes.

Methylation of secondary amines was achieved using dimethyl carbonate or diethyl carbonate as the C1 source under the catalysis of well-defined half-sandwich iron complexes bearing an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions in the presence of hydrosilanes as the reductants, and the amines were obtained with good to excellent isolated yields.