A novel reaction, the potassium hydride mediated synthesis of fulvenes, is described. The synthesis utilizes N-aryl imines as an inexpensive starting material affording novel substituted aminofulvenes. It is proposed that the presence of the metalated enamine as well as the imine (ratio 2∶ 1) leads to the formation of an initial dimerization and a transient trimerization product, which cyclizes, giving rise to the aminofulvene.
![Benzenamine,N-[1-(2-naphthalenyl)ethylidene]- Structure](https://image.chemsrc.com/caspic/042/25287-39-2.png)
