Acid-promoted reaction of trimethylsilylketene bis(ethylthio)acetal with imines. Synthesis of gamma,gamma-bis(ethylthio)allylamines.

Acid-catalyzed reaction of silylketene dithioacetal 1 with iminium salts or imines 3b,d-h gave the corresponding gamma,gamma-bis(ethylthio)allylamines 2a-h or 5b,d-h in generally high yields. Similar reactions of 1 with (salicylidene)amines 6a-e afforded 4-amino-2,2-bis(ethylthio)chromans 8a-e in good to moderate yields.