GENERAL STEPS: To prepare N-methyl-4-nitrobenzylamine; 4-nitrobenzaldehyde (15.0 g, 99.3 mmol) and 40% aqueous methylamine (17 mL) in methanol (250 mL) were mixed for 15 min at 0 °C, followed by addition of sodium borohydride (3.77 g). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours and then concentrated. Water (50 mL) was added to the residue and extracted with dichloromethane (3 x 250 mL). The organic phases were combined, dried and concentrated to give the target product N-methyl-4-nitrobenzylamine. Yield 15.4 g, 94% yield.1H NMR (CDCl3) δ 8.10 (m, 2H), 7.43 (m, 2H), 3.79 (s, 2H), 2.39 (s, 3H).MS (AP+) m/e 167 (MH+).
