Trityl Isocyanide as a Mechanistic Probe in Multicomponent Chemistry: Walking the Line between Ugi‐ and Strecker‐type Reactions

Herein, we describe the versatile application of triphenylmethyl (trityl) isocyanide in multicomponent chemistry. This reagent can be employed as a cyanide source in the Strecker reaction and as convertible isocyanide in the preparation of N‐acyl amino acids by Ugi 4CR/detritylation and free imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridin‐3‐amines by a Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé 3CR condensation/deprotection protocol. The mechanisms of these three classical MCRs intersect at the common N‐trityl nitrilium ion intermediate, whose predictable reactivity can be exploited towards chemoselective transformations.