A New Method of α-Functionalization for Tertiary Amines by Nucleophilic Substitution of α-Siloxy Amines

Abstract

α-Siloxy amines, which were easily prepared by “silicon Polonovski reaction” of tertiary amine N-oxides with trialkylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, were treated with various nucleophiles to give the corresponding α-functionalized tertiary amines in moderate to good yields. This new method has the advantage that it enables the α-substitution of amines not only by alkyl groups but also by alkenyl and aryl groups with sp2 carbon as a reaction center, since the introduction of such groups is difficult in electrophilic substitution of dipole-stabilized α-lithio amines. Besides the organometallics such as Grignard and organoaluminum reagents, trimethylsilyl cyanide and silyl enol ether could also be employed as nucleophiles in the presence of an appropriate Lewis acid.