Zirconocene Dichloride

Typical procedure (entry 1):
A dried tube is charged with zirconocene dichloride (58.5 mg, 5 mol%), amide species (if it is solid), amine species (if it is solid), and the tube is sealed and purged with nitrogen gas. After which a solution of anhydrous cyclohexane or heptane (4 mL) containing acetamide (236 mg, 4 mmol) and benzylamine (424 micro-L, 4.8 mmol) is added to the reaction tube, and the tube is heated at 80 °C for 5 h. After being allowed to cool to room temperature, the reaction mixture is quenched using methanol (5 mL) and the solvent is removed under reduced pressure. Dichloromethane (50 mL) is added and the organic layer washed with water (20 mL). The organic layer is separated and the aqueous layer is extracted with dichloromethane (2 x 50 mL), the organics are combined and dried over MgSO₄. The reaction mixture is filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue is purified by column chromatography (eluent: CH₂Cl₂ / MeOH = 10 / 1) to give N- benzylacetamide as an off-white solid (497 mg, 83% yield).