Radical aminomethylation of imines.

Taking advantage of the high level of performance of N-alkoxycarbonyl-imines, we achieved the first example of addition of the aminomethyl radical to imine. The reaction efficiency depended on the structure of the radical precursor, whether it is an iodide or a xanthate, and an electron-withdrawing group on the nitrogen atom of the radical. This reaction allows direct introduction of an N-substituted aminomethyl group onto imine to provide 1,2-diamine as well as the short-step synthesis of ICI-199,441.