Facile construction of three-membered rings via benzyne-promoted Darzens-type reaction of tertiary amines

摘要

A range of tertiary amines having electron-withdrawing groups were activated in situ by benzyne, generated from 2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl triflate and a fluoride source, and participated in the Darzens-type reaction with carbonyl compounds, imines, and vinyl ketones to afford structurally diverse epoxides, aziridines, and cyclopropanes, respectively, in moderate to excellent yields with high trans-selectivity. The reaction involves in situ formation of unstrained ammonium ylides from tertiary amines and benzyne, proceeds in the absence of transition metals and strong bases, and tolerates a wide variety of functional groups. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.