An efficient method for N-nitrosation of secondary amines under mild and heterogeneous conditions

A combination of inorganic acidic salts or silica gel supported inorganic a cids and sodium nitrite in the presence of wet SiO2 was used as an effectiv e nitrosating agent for the nitrosation of secondary amines to their corres ponding nitroso drivatives under mild and heterogeneous conditions in moder ate to excellent yields. Mg(HSO4)(2) and NaHSO4 are superior to all the afo rementioned reagents in convenience, yield and purity of the isolated nitro soamines.