A new simple one-pot two-step protocol for the synthesis of 2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-3-carboxylate from 2-(2-(benzylamino)benzylidene)malonate under the action of BF3·Et2O was developed. It was shown that the reaction proceeds through the formation of a stable iminium intermediate containing a difluoroboryl bridge in the dicarbonyl fragment of the molecule.
Keywords: 2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-3-carboxylate; BF3·Et2O; amides; debenzylation; nitrogen heterocycles.