Catalytic synthesis of N-alkylated anilines from olefins and anilines

A process for the preparation of an N-arylethylaniline of the formula (I)

• Ar—N(R1)2-n(CHR2CHR3Ar′)n (I)
• which comprises reacting an aromatic olefin of the formula (II)
• Ar′CR3═CHR2 (II)
• with an aniline of the formula (III)
• Ar—N(R1)2-n(H)n (III)
• in an inert solvent in the presence of at least one basic catalyst selected from the group consisting of alkali metal alcoholates, alkaline earth metal alcoholates, alkali metal amides and alkaline earth metal amides, where, in the formulae (I) to (III),
• Ar and Ar′, independently of one another, are an aryl radical selected from the group consisting of a fused C6-C22-aromatic, a nonfused C6-C22-aromatic, a fused C5-C22-heteroaromatic and a nonfused C5-C22-C5-C22-heteroaromatic and wherein the fused and non-fused C5-C22-heteroaromatic contains at least one nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur atom in the ring;
• R1, R2 and R3, independently of one another, are a hydrogen atom, a C1-C8-alkyl, radical or an aryl radical Ar;
• and
• n is the number 1 or 2.