Transformations of N-Allyl-N-(phenylethynyl)arenesulfonamides into 2,2-Disubstituted 4-Pentenenitriles through Aza-Claisen Rearrangement that Follows Carbomagnesiation

Treatment of N-allyl-N-(phenylethynyl)arenesulfonamides with Grignard reagents under copper catalysis resulted in carbomagnesiation across the alkynyl parts. The carbomagnesiations yielded 2-magnesio-3-aza-1,5-hexadienes, which underwent the aza-Claisen rearrangement upon heating. The rearrangement followed by elimination of the arenesulfonyl groups provided 2,2-disubstituted 4-pentenenitriles.