A Novel Decyanogenative Coupling of (alpha)-Cyanoimines Mediated by Samarium. A Facile Route to (alpha)-Diketimines

Conversion of (alpha)-cyanoimines 1 into (alpha)-diketimines 2 has been achieved successfully by using samarium diiodide in dry tetrahydrofuran in high yields without formation of anilinoanil 3, 1,2-diamines 4 or anilides 5.