A series of a-cyanoaminosilanes have been found to act as azomethine ylide equivalents. Treatment of these compounds with silver fluoride in the presence of electron-deficient alkynes and olefins gives substituted pyrroles and pyrrolidines in high yield. It was found that N-benzyl-N-(cyanomethyl)-N-[(trimethylsily1) methyllamine undergoes stereospecific cycloaddition with dimethyl fumarate and maleate. The stereospecificity of the reaction is ...
