known methods. In a four-step synthesis, thermal rearrangement of an allylic trichloroacetimidic ester proceeded with poor yield.'Reduction of the appropriate nitrile with AlH: gave excellent yields of the amine but would be unuseable with groups not compatible with A1H3. The syntheses of the nitriles not commercially available gave mixtures of cis and trans isomers and in some cases the Cannizzaro reaction pred~ minated.~ Using Heck's ...
