Functionalized enamines—XXXII

Reactions of β-aminoacrylic esters (1–c) and amides (1d–o) with benzyl bromide 2 and cinnamyl bromide 3 give products which are dependent both upon the nature of the amine component of the enamine and, in the case of the amides, upon the amine from which the amide is derived. The β-enamino esters react with benzyl bromide to yield predominantly dialkylated products in the case of the pyrrolidine ester 1a. Reactions of the same esters with cinnamyl bromide yield mixtures of cinnamyl and 2-phenylpropenyl-substituted formylacetic esters. The enamino amides 1d–f react to yield the expected alkylated derivatives. The anilides 1i–o exhibit nucleophilic reactivity at the aniline nitrogen. A mechanism leading to the observed products is proposed.