Trichloroethylene in organic synthesis: II. reaction of trichloroethylene with secondary amines

In a novel reaction, trichloroethylene reacts with secondary aliphatic amines in the presence of aqueous solution of NaOH and catalytic quantity of benzyltriethylammonium chloride to give the corresponding N,N,N,'N'-tetraalkylsubstituted glycinamides. The following glycinamides were obtained with high yield: /N-morpholine/acetic acid morpholide, N-/piperidineacetyl/piperidine, N,N,N,'N'-tetra-n-butylglycinamide and N,N,N,'N'-tetraethlyglycinamide. Mechanism of the reaction is discussed.