Hydroamination of Nonactivated Alkenes

Significance

A catalytic amount of Brønsted acid enables high yielding intramolecular hydro­aminations of electronically unactivated alkenes with basic amines. Screenings identified phosphoric acid 1 as the most active catalyst for this cyclo­isomerization. Substrates with ether, nitro, ester, or chloro functionalities are tolerated. By using enantiomerically pure phosphoric acid (R)-1a the authors show an unprecedented example of a metal-free asymmetric hydroamination of nonactivated alkenes, albeit with modest selectivity (er = 58.5:41.5).