Patent ID: 8501659

Claim:
A process for the preparation of N-aryl amine compound N 1 -(2,3,4,5,6-pentamethylphenyl)-N 2 -(2-(2,3,4,5,6-pentamethylphenylamino)ethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine, the process comprising: reacting a compound having an amino group with an arylating compound in the presence of a base and a transition metal catalyst under reaction conditions effective to form the N-aryl amine compound for a time less than or equal to 180 minutes; wherein the transition metal catalyst is present during the reacting at a concentration in the range from about 0.03 to about 1.0 mole percent, based on a total amount of the compound having an amino group, the arylating compound, and the transition metal catalyst; wherein the transition metal catalyst is formed by reacting a Group 8 of the Periodic Table metal catalyst precursor comprising palladium (II) acetate (Pd(OAc) 2 ) and at least one chelating ligand comprising (R)-(−)-1-[(S)-2-[dicyclohexylphosphino]-ferrocenyl]ethyldi-t-butylphosphine; and wherein the arylating compound comprises at least one compound having the formula: wherein X is a halogen atom or a sulfur-containing leaving group, and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, CN, alkyl, alkoxy, vinyl, alkenyl, formyl, CF 3 , CCl 3 , halide, C 6 H 5 , amide, acyl, ester, alkoxy, amino, thioalkoxy, phosphino, and combinations thereof.