Lithium aluminum amides [LiAl (NHR),], 6a-6d, easily prepared in EhO or THF from 1 equiv of LiAlH4 yd 5 equiv of amine, proved to be efficient reagents for the synthesis of secondary amides from esters (-100% wlth unhindered amines and 92% with tBuNH2). They also open aryl epoxides with very high regioselectivity to give 97-98% of the 8-amino-a-arylethanols (corresponding to the SNz mechanism).
