Triethylamine-Mediated Generation of a Synthetic Equivalent of Parent Azomethine Imine by Condensation of Ethyl 3-Benzylcarbazate with Paraformaldehyde
A synthetic equivalent of parent azomethine imine is accessible by simple heating of ethyl 3-benzylcarbazate with paraformaldehyde under reflux in toluene in the presence of triethylamine, which effectively suppresses the undesired formation of imine dimers. The resulting imines can be trapped with a variety of dipolarophiles.