A diastereoselective nucleophilic dichloromethylation between the N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines and dichloromethyllithium was developed. A series of 2-chloroaziridines with excellent yields and dr values were obtained via this nucleophilic addition and N-alkylation in one pot. On the basis of X-ray crystallography experiment, the predicting model for this diastereoselective transformation was provided
room temperature gave α-chloro cis-aziridines. Additionally, with Bu3SnH as the reductant, α-(dichloromethyl)amines were readily obtained from easily accessible α-(trichloromethyl)amines via mono-dechlorination. Over-reduction was successfully suppressed. Subsequent radical mono-dechlorination of the α-(dichloromethyl)amines gave the corresponding α-(chloromethyl)amines in good to excellent yields