A Versatile Route to β-Enamino Esters by Acylation of Lithium Enamines with Diethyl Carbonate or Benzyl Chloroformate.

Abstract A versatile route to β-enamino esters 1, using accessible starting materials, was developed. Lithiated enamines are allowed to react with diethyl carbonate or benzyl chloroformate with the formation of the β-enamino esters 1a or 1b. The reaction is rather general from a wide array of ketimines and aldimines. Products included cyclic β-enamino esters 1aa-ac, very useful for the synthesis of natural products.