ALPHA-AMINO CARBENE OR CARBENOID FORMATION IN THE REACTION OF A TERTIARY AMIDE WITH PHME2SILI AND ITS INSERTION INTO THE SI-LI BOND OF A 2ND EQUIVALENT

PhMe2SiLi reacts with tertiary amides, RCONMe2, to give a carbene, RCN Me2, or an equivalent carbenoid, which gives enediamines, R(Me2N) C=C (NMe2)R, in the absence of a strong nucleophile, but is attacked by st rong nucleophiles, NuLi, to give lithium reagents R(Me2N)CLiNu.