One-pot, three-component coupling approach to the synthesis of α-iminocarboxamides.

A one-pot, three-component coupling was accomplished via the nucleophilic addition of an alkylsamarium(III) species to isocyanides and the subsequent addition of the resultant imidoyl samarium(III) species to isocyanates under mild conditions for the formation of α-iminocarboxamides. The developed sequential C-C bond-forming procedure enabled the rapid synthesis of the α-iminocarboxamides in good to excellent yields from readily available starting materials.