Amination of tertiary and secondary alcohols using aqueous ammonia as nitrogen source was carried out by a process with recyclable intramolecular reaction of 1,8-naphthosultone, which lead to alpha-branched primary amines. Sulfonic resin serves as the heterogeneous catalyst for C-N bond formation and protects the neighboring hydroxyl group until the required hydrolysis starts in the alkaline solution. The process can be conducted under mild conditions, no additional solvent is needed and no overreaction to secondary or tertiary amines occurs.