Synthetic chemistry has always sought methods by which to prepare high yields of pure products in the fewest steps possible. One challenge in this process has been the efficient formation of mono-substituted amines without di- or tri- substituted side products. A number of enzymes found in nature have been observed to increase the nucleophilicity of a bound hydroxyl group relative to the surrounding water, by means of binding to a d10 zinc metal center. Echoing this motif a method has been proposed to form a zinc amide complex (featuring a substituted tris-pyrozol ligand) in the hope that it will activate NH2 relative to free amines. Progress towards the synthesis of this target will be discussed.