Mild and catalyst-free petasis/decarboxylative domino reaction: chemoselective synthesis of N-benzyl propargylamines.

Multicomponent domino reactions are attractive for assembling functionalized compounds. To this end, a one-pot catalyst-free chemoselective synthesis of N-benzyl propargylamines is reported with good functional group compatibility. This mild process involves in situ formation of an active amine through Petasis reaction of primary amines, formaldehyde solution, and boronic acids, which reacts with propiolic acids to give product in up to 94% yield via decarboxylative coupling reaction.