Copper-catalyzed coupling of imines, acid chlorides, and alkynes: a multicomponent route to propargylamides.
The use of imines in a metal-catalyzed coupling with alkynes and acid chlorides is described. This process proceeds rapidly with CuI as the catalyst and provides an efficient and general three-component coupling method to prepare propargylamides. The coupling can also be diversified to allow the formation of N-carbamate-protected propargylamines with the use of chloroformates.