Alcohols and aluminium alcoxides in the presence of Raney nickel as alkylating agents. II. A kinetic study of alkylation of aromatic amines

The kinetics of N-alkylation of substituted anilines with isopropanol and aluminium isopropoxide, catalyzed by Raney-nickel, have been studied. The reaction proceeds according to a second-order equation. The formation of the Schiff’s bases of the anilines along the reaction courses have been detected. The data reported also show that the reaction rates depend upon the nucleophilicity of the substrate to be alkylated. A possible mechanism is discussed.