The interaction of cis and trans-1-cyclohexyl-2-phenyl-3-benzoylaziridine with lithium N-Methylanilide

A reaction pathway for the rearrangement-dehydrogenation of cis-1-cyclohexyl-2-phenyl-3-benzoylaziridine into 2-cyclohexylamino-3-phenylindenone can now be suggested. Furthermore, a competing degradation pathway involving C? C bond scission accounts for the major product in these reactions and leads to ω-cyclohexylaminoacetophenone and benzaldehyde. Observed also is the fact that trans-1-cyclohexyl-2-phenyl-3-benzoylaziridine fails to undergo the rearrangement-dehydrogenation reaction.