N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)methoxymethylamine as a convenient synthetic equivalent for +CH2NH2: primary aminomethylation of esters

Abstract

The introduction of a primary aminomethyl unit at the α-position of esters can be achieved in high yield by the silyl trifluoromethanesulphonate-catalysed reaction of ketene silyl acetals (2) with N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)methoxymethylamine (1).