N-2-(N',N'-diethylamino)ethyl imine reacts with a primary and secondary alkyl chloride or a primary alkyl fluoride to give an alpha-alkylated ketone in good to excellent yield after hydrolysis. The reaction takes place with a high level of inversion of stereochemistry at the electrophilic carbon center and will be useful for production of opticallyactive compounds.
A magnesium enamide derived from N-2-(N′,N′-dimethylamino)ethylimine reacts with primary and secondary alkyl chlorides and fluorides to give an α-alkylated ketone in good to excellent yields upon hydrolysis of the imine moiety. Reactions of the highly nucleophilic magnesium enamide derived from an unsymmetrical ketone take place regioselectively. In addition, the C–C bond formation is stereospecific: