4-Aminopyridine, reaction with rhodium

Catalytic hydroacylation. Aldimines of 3-methyl-2-aminopyridine and aromatic aldehydes react with chlorotris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(I) (1) in THF at 55 to afford products of imine C—H insertion (3). Aminals of 2-aminopyridine and aldehydes with a-hydrogens (4) similarly react with 1 to give 5 presumably, the aminals are in equilibrium with the corresponding imines under these conditions. These complexes undergo hydroacylation reactions with ethylene as illustrated for 2. The overall reaction can be performed with catalytic quantities of 1, as indicated for the reaction of 4. 

The reaction of [Rh2Cl2(CgHi4)4] with 2-aminopyridine led to a species believed to be a cationic solvated rhodium(I)-aminopyridine complex. This was more active than [RhCl(PPh3)3] or [RuH(Cl)(PPh3)3] for the hydrogenation of cyclohexene. The mechanism was thought to involve oxidative addition of hydrogen to rhodium(I) prior to alkene coordination.143... 

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