Divergent Iron-Catalyzed Coupling of O-Acyloximes with Silyl Enol Ethers.

An iron-catalyzed coupling reaction of O-acyloximes and O-benzoyl amidoximes with silyl enol ethers is reported. The protocol provides access to functionalized pyrroles, 1,6-ketonitriles, pyrrolines and imidazolines via carbon-centered radicals generated from an initially formed iminyl radical. The intramolecular cyclization and ring-opening processes of the iminyl radical take place preferentially over reactions that proceed through a 1,3-hydrogen transfer, providing insights into iron-catalyzed reactions with oxime derivatives. The cheap and environmentally friendly iron catalyst, the broad substrate scope and the functional group compatibility make this protocol useful for synthesis of valuable nitrogen-containing products.