Benzalmethylamine, benzalbenzylamine and hydrobenzamide react with formamide, when heated with it, to form N-formylbenzylamine and N-formyldibenzylamine with some by-products. Reduction of these imines at a high temperature and high pressure, under the presence of formamide, results in the conversion of benzal radical to N-formylbenzylamine in almost theoretical yield.
1) Reduction, at high temperature and high pressure, of benzonitrile in the presence of benzaldehyde results in an increased yield of dibenzylamine because the aldehyde takes part in the latter's formation.2) The action of formamide or ethyl formate was examined by the reductive formyl-amination of a mixture of benzaldehyde and benzonitrile. In the case of formamide, formylbenzylamine can be obtained in 89% yield, in a mixture of benzonitrile and benzaldehyde in a molar ratio. The use of benzaldoxime and ammonia, instead of benzonitrile, was also experimented.
