Unexpected selectivity in ruthenium-catalyzed hydrosilylation of primary amides: synthesis of secondary amines

Selective ruthenium-catalyzed reductive coupling of primary amides under hydrosilylation conditions is achieved using an one pot procedure. Using 3 equiv. of phenylsilane and [RuCl2(mesitylene)]2 (1-2 mol%) as the catalyst at 100 °C under neat conditions, secondary symmetric amines were obtained in good yields and with high chemoselectivities.