Selective N-alkylation of anilines in ionic liquids

A simple and efficient method for the preparation of N-monoalkyl-substituted anilines employing ionic liquids (ILs) as the solvent is presented. The reactions have been performed in several ionic liquids using differently substituted anilines as substrates and alkyl, allyl and benzyl halides as alkylating agents in order to establish the factors that affect the reactivity and the chemoselectivity of the N-alkylation process.