Cyclocondensation of α-Aminonitriles and Enones: A Short Access to 3,4-Dihydro-2H-pyrrole 2-carbonitriles and 2,3,5-Trisubstituted Pyrroles

The reaction of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with aminoacetonitrile hydrochloride furnishes 3,5-disubstituted 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole-2-carbonitriles in a one-pot reaction sequence. While these products can serve as starting materials for the preparation of polysubstituted pyrrolizidines, they are kinetically stable against the base-induced elimination of HCN. In contrast, their 2-substituted analogues obtained from α-substituted α-aminonitriles can be readily converted to the corresponding 2,3,5-trisubstituted pyrroles under microwave irradiation. The key step presumably involves the thermal electrocyclization of a stabilized 2-azapentadienyl anion formed by condensation of the reactants and subsequent deprotonation.