Organic reaction in water. Part 4. New synthesis of vicinal diamines using zinc powder-promoted carbon–carbon bond formation

Reductive coupling of aromatic imines is performed by the use of zinc powder and additives such as NH4Cl and L-tyrosine in water without any organic solvents under mild conditions to give the corresponding vicinal diamines in good yields; cross-coupling of N-benzylideneaniline and benzaldehyde similarly proceeds in aqueous media to afford the corresponding 2-aminoalcohol.