Radical deamination reactions of relevance to aminoglycoside chemistry

Reduction of tert.-, sec.- and prim.- isonitriles with tributylstanne affords in good yields, but at progressively higher temperatures, the corresponding hydrocarbons. Sec.-thio-cyanates and selenocyanates are also smoothly reduced but $\text{via}$ the isonitriles. All reactions are radical in character.