The direct addition of amines to alkynes and dienes (hydroamination) was efficiently catalyzed in a liquid–liquid two phase system. The latter comprised a polar catalyst phase of Zn(CF3SO3)2 in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate and a substrate mixture in heptane. The possibility to catalyze a variety of intermolecular hydroamination reactions was demonstrated.
