Abstract: Process for the preparation of an N-arylethylaniline of the formula (I) Ar—N(R1)2-n(CHR2CHR3Ar′)n  (I) by 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 and alkaline earth metal alcoholates or 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 the fused and nonfused C6-C22-aromatics and of the fused or nonfused C5-C22heteroaromatics which have 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.