Herein, we report a new approach to methylenation of alcohols using N-methyl amide as a sustainable methylene reagent; the N-methyl delivers the methylene group. This new reagent is easily prepared and stable to both air and moisture. Furthermore, the final byproduct of this methylene reagent can be recycled in excellent yields and then reused in methylenation reactions upon treating with CH3I.
Novel compounds having the structure (I) where R=methyl, ethyl or propyl, R
1
=methyl or H, R
2
=methyl, ethyl or propyl, R
3
=methyl or H, R
4
=methyl or ethyl, R
5
=H or methyl, and where R
3
and R
5
are not both H, excluding N-ethyl-2-methyl-N-(3-methylphenyl) propanamide, can have desirable odour properties, typically of a tropical fruit, cassis character and find use in perfumes and perfumed products.
1