Divergent ynamide reactivity in the presence of azides - an experimental and computational study

Chem Sci. 2016 Sep 1;7(9):6032-6040. doi: 10.1039/c6sc01945e. Epub 2016 Jun 10.

Abstract

An unusually divergent reactivity of ynamides in the presence of azides is reported. This new keteniminium-based methodology, which only requires triflic acid as promoter, facilitates access to β-enaminoamides and biologically important oxazolidine-2,4-diones in a highly selective, divergent manner that is fully controllable by the present azide. A mechanistic rationale for these divergent reaction pathways is delineated and supported by extensive density functional theory analyses, as well as selected mechanistic experiments.