Reaction of N-Nitroso-N-benzylformamide with Phenylmagnesium Bromide and Phenyllithium

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00163a012

The action of aryl Grignard and lithium reagents on N-nitroso-N-benzylformamide (1) leads to products whose formation can be understood in terms of the intermediacy of benzyldiazotate ion.However, the presence of "hydrogen abstraction" products, e. g., anisole or naphthalene, coupled with the near absence of products traceable to the aldehyde moiety (expected from the attack at the formyl group) with 1 equiv of organometallics, suggests the initial formation of a complex.Possible rationalizations for the formation of the products are presented.