cine-Silylative Ring-Opening of alpha-Methyl Azacycles Enabled by the Silylium-Induced C-N Bond Cleavage

Abstract

Described herein is the development of a borane-catalyzed cine-silylative ring-opening of alpha-methyl azacycles. This transformation involves four-step cascade processes: (i) exo-dehydrogenation of alicyclic amine, (ii) hydrosilylation of the resultant enamine, (iii) silylium-induced cis-beta-amino elimination to open the ring skeleton, and (iv) hydrosilylation of the terminal olefin. The present borane catalysis also works efficiently for the C-N bond cleavage of acyclic tertiary amines. On the basis of experimental and computational studies, the silicon atom was elucidated to play a pivotal role in the beta-amino elimination step.