The Rabe amination after a century: direct addition of N-heterocycles to carbonyl compounds

A catalytic version of the Rabe electrophilic amination is presented. This kind of reaction was originally employed in 1918 in a key step for the conversion of quinotoxine to quinine. Ketones and ?-substituted aldehydes give the corresponding ?-aminated carbonyl compounds in moderate yield. ?,?- Unsubstituted aldehydes give rise to amino ketones via a novel rearrangement.