A new entry to azomethine ylides from allylic amines and glyoxals: shifting the reliance on amino ester precursors

The first examples of azomethine ylides derived from allylic amine and glyoxal precursors are reported. The condensation of primary allylic and α-aryl amines with glyoxylates or α-aryl glyoxals affords conjugated azomethine ylides that undergo facile [3 + 2] cycloaddition, providing 5-alkenyl pyrrolidine cycloadducts that cannot be accessed through the classical use of amino esters as ylide precursors.