boron trifluoride diethyl etherate in tetrahydrofuran; ammonium hydroxide; dichloromethane addn. of BF3*OEt2 to a stirred soln. of the 1,1'-diacylferrocene in THF at 25°C, addn. of NaBH3CN over 10 min, stirring (1 h), diln. withCH2Cl2, addn. of aq. NH3 to pH 10; layer sepn., drying (Na2SO4), concn., flash chromy. (SiO2; hexanes/Et2O);

sulfuric acid; methylamine in methanol

in methanol T=20°C; 0.25 h;