Direct transfer of the sulfonylimino group of imino-lambda3-bromane to N-heterocycles and trialkylamines: synthesis of N-iminoammonium ylides under metal-free conditions.

Exposure of N-heterocycles and aliphatic trialkylamines to trifluoromethanesulfonylimino-lambda(3)-bromane at room temperature results in direct transfer of the sulfonylimino group to the nitrogen atoms and affords a variety of iminoammonium ylides under transition-metal-free conditions. The imino-lambda(3)-bromane probably serves as an active nitrenoid species without any activation and produces the ammonium ylides via a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution process.