Lanthanide triflate catalysed reactions of acetals with primary amines and cascade cyclisation reactions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1998-1734

The formation of imines from acetals and primary amines can be carried out at significantly lower temperatures using scandium or lanthanide triflates as catalysts, than in the absence of a catalyst: the intermediate aminol ethers can also take part in cascade cyclisation reactions, for example using tryptamine and ethyl tryptophanate.