Reaction of imines with N-iodosuccinimide (NIS): unexpected formation of stable 1 : 1 complexes.

Imines react with N-iodosuccinimide (NIS) to afford unexpected 1 : 1 complexes and the structure of one of these was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction; the reaction seems to be very general for substituted cyclic imines with solid stable complexes obtained in high yields; this is the first reported example of a halogen bonding interaction involving the C=N bond and NIS.