Chemistry Letters, Vol.33, No.2, 102-103, 2004
A novel decyanogenative coupling of alpha-cyanoimines mediated by samarium. A facile route to alpha-diketimines
Conversion of alpha-cyanoimines 1 into alpha-diketimines 2 has been achieved successfully by using samarium diiodide in dry tetrahydrofuran in high yields without formation of anilinoanil 3, 1,2-diamines 4 or anilides 5.