Can functionalized N-acyloxy aziridines be easily deprotected?

The advent of electrophilic hydroxylamine-derived reagents for the direct preparation of unprotected amines

Electrophilic aminating reagents have seen a renaissance in recent years as effective nitrogen sources for the synthesis of unprotected amino functionalities. Based on their reactivity, several noble and non-noble transition metal catalysed amination reactions have been developed. These include the aziridination and difunctionalisation of alkenes, the amination of arenes as well as the synthesis of aminated sulfur compounds. In particular, the use of hydroxylamine-derived (N-O) reagents, such as PONT (PivONH3OTf), has enabled the introduction of unprotected amino groups on various different feedstock compounds, such as alkenes, arenes and thiols. This strategy obviates undesired protecting-group manipulations and thus improves step efficiency and atom economy. Overall, this feature article gives a recent update on several reactions that have been unlocked by employing versatile hydroxylamine-derived aminating reagents, which facilitate the generation of unprotected primary, secondary and tertiary amino groups.

Synthesis and ring openings of cinnamate-derived N-unfunctionalised aziridines

tert-Butyl cinnamates are aziridinated with high trans-selectivity by an N–N ylide generated in situ from N-methylmorpholine and O-diphenylphosphinyl hydroxylamine. The resulting N-unfunctionalised aziridines are shown to be versatile synthetic building blocks that undergo highly selective ring-opening reactions with a wide range of nucleophiles.