The synthesis of chiral 1, 2-diamines and 1, 3-diamines was achieved from the unsubstituted diamines by way of N-tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) substituted imidazolidines (tetrahydroimidazoles) and pyrimidines (hexahydro-1, 3-diazines), which were treated with sec-butyllithium to effect deprotonation α-to the N-Boc group, followed by addition of an electrophile to give substituted products that could be hydrolysed under acidic conditions ...