Attempts to silylate the anion derived from several (dialky1amino) acetonitriles with chlorotrimethylsilane gave self-condensation products. Slow addition of chlorotrimethylsilane to (benzylmethy1amino) acetonitrile followed by treatment of the resulting ammonium salt with LDA gave the a-silylated cyanoamine in excellent yield. This material on treatment with silver fluoride produced the desilylated cyanoamine rather than ...
