Several methods are known for the formation of nitrile ylides. The most important routes are the dehydrochlorination of imidoyl chloride using triethylamine,1 the thermolysis of ∆3-oxazolinones,2 oxazaphospholes3 and the photolysis of 2H-azirines.4 Another useful method to generate nitrile ylides is the carbene–nitrile reaction first suggested by Kende et al. in 1982.5 The most common method for the generation of carbenes is the catalytic ...
