Catalytic transformation of furan amines into pyrrole and pyrrolidine homologs

Summary

• 1. On hydrogenation in the vapor phase over a platinum catalyst, furan amines containing an amino group in position 3 with respect to the furan nucleus are converted, depending on the temperature, into pyrrole or pyrrolidine homologs in yields of 85–95%.

• 2. The following pyrrole and pyrrolidine homologs were synthesized by the catalytic-hydrogenation method: 2-propylpyrrole, 2,5-dipropylpyrrole and 2,5-dipropylpyrrolidine, 4-isopropyl-2-propylpyrrole and 4-isopropyi-2-propylpyrrolidine, 2-ethyl-3-methyl-5-propylpyrrole and the corresponding pyrrolidine.