The Sommelet-Hauser rearrangement is well known as a regioselective rearrangement of benzyldialkylammonium N-methylides to give ortho-substituted benzylamine derivatives.'Hauser et reported that this rearrangement is also applicable to a ring expansion reaction giving cyclic amines. For example, 2-methy1-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-hexahydro-lH-2- benzazonine (6a) and its analogues (6b and 6c) were prepared in high yields by the ylide ...
