Rhodium-catalyzed anti-Markovnikov addition of secondary amines to arylacetylenes at room temperature

An efficient method for synthesis of E-enamines by the anti-Markovnikov addition of secondary amines to terminal alkynes is described. The reaction of a variety of aryl- and heteroarylacetylenes proceeded at room temperature using a combination of a 8-quinolinolato rhodium complex and P(p-MeOC(6)H(4))(3) as a catalyst. The products were obtained as enamines by simple bulb-to-bulb distillation.