Electrophilic 1,3-C→N− and-N→C− migrations in saturated systems

A new type of intramolecular electrophilic rearrangements involving the shift of COOAlk groups from carbon to an N-anionic center is considered. Carbanionic species with COOAlk groups at anionic centers containing no acidic hydrogen react unusually with alkyl(aryl) iso(thio)cyanates giving carbamates as a result of insertion of RNCX into the C−C bond. The kinetics and mechanism of insertion of aryl isocyanates into the C−C bond of the phosphonium zwitterion obtained from triisopropylphosphine and ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate are discussed. The reaction of α-carbanions derived fromN,N-disubstituted amides with methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate results inO-methylation. Some possibilities of back N→C− migrations are considered.