Solid-phase, multicomponent reactions of methyleneaziridines: synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted propanones.

[reaction: see text] Polymer-supported methyleneaziridines undergo ring opening by Grignard reagents under copper catalysis to yield metalloenamines which are alkylated in situ to yield ketimines. Filtration and washing of these Merrifield resin-bound intermediates prior to hydrolysis provides the corresponding 1,3-disubstituted propanones in a high state of purity without recourse to column chromatography.