Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Synthesis of Hypervalent Iodonium Alkynyl Triflates for the Application of Generating Cyanocarbenes
Published on: September 8, 2013
The potassium hydride mediated trimerization of imines
Kathrin Kutlescha1, Gopaladasu T Venkanna, Rhett Kempe
1Lehrstuhl für Anorganische Chemie II, Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
Researchers developed a new potassium hydride reaction to synthesize novel aminofulvenes from inexpensive N-aryl imines. This method offers a straightforward route to valuable substituted fulvene compounds.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Synthetic Chemistry
Background:
- Fulvenes are a class of organic compounds with diverse applications.
- Efficient synthesis of substituted aminofulvenes remains an area of interest in organic chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel potassium hydride mediated reaction for synthesizing aminofulvenes.
- To utilize readily available N-aryl imines as starting materials.
Main Methods:
- Potassium hydride mediated synthesis.
- Reaction of N-aryl imines.
- Proposed mechanism involving dimerization and trimerization.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis of novel substituted aminofulvenes.
- Demonstration of a new synthetic route using inexpensive starting materials.
- Elucidation of a proposed reaction mechanism.
Conclusions:
- A novel and efficient method for aminofulvene synthesis has been established.
- The reaction provides access to valuable substituted aminofulvenes.
- The proposed mechanism offers insight into the reaction pathway.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Imine Formation Mechanism
Imines are formed under mildly acidic conditions. A pH of 4.5 is ideal for the reaction.
If the pH is low or the solution is too acidic, the reaction slows down in the...
Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Imine and Enamine Formation Overview
Nitriles to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
As shown below, the mechanism involves three steps. Firstly, the hydride ion acting as a nucleophile attacks the nitrile carbon to form an anion. In the second step, a second equivalent of the hydride ion attacks the anion to...
Amides to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
Amide reduction requires two equivalents of the reducing agent, acting as a source of hydride ions. As shown in the figure, the reaction is initiated with a nucleophilic attack by the hydride ion at the carbonyl carbon to form a tetrahedral intermediate.
Preparation of 1° Amines: Gabriel Synthesis
Strong bases like NaOH or KOH deprotonate the phthalimide to form the corresponding anion, which acts as a nucleophile. Further, the anion attacks an...
Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Enamine Formation Mechanism

