Synthesis of lepidine and its derivatives from aromatic amines and quaternary salts of Mannich bases

A quaternary salt of 4-(diethylamino)butan-2-one, methyldiethyl-3-ketobutylammonium methyl sulfate, is used as an alkylating agent to synthesize lepidine and 1-phenyllepidine salts. The method gives good yields, under mild conditions, of lepidine and 1-phenyllepidine perchlorate. An intermediate product is isolated, and a reaction mechanism suggested.