Formal aminocyanation of α,β-unsaturated cyclic enones for the efficient synthesis of α-amino ketones.

Installation of amino functionality on organic molecules through direct CN bond formation is an important research objective. To achieve this goal, a 1,2-aminocyanation reaction was developed. The reaction occurs through the formation of pyrazolines by means of a formal dipolar cycloaddition of cyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones with lithium trimethylsilyldiazomethane followed by novel protonolytic N-N bond cleavage under mild conditions.