Ritter-type reactions of N-chlorosaccharin: a method for the electrophilic diamination of alkenes.

[reaction: see text] N-Chlorosaccharin has been shown to undergo electrophilic Ritter-type reactions with alkenes in acetonitrile. The resulting labile beta-chloro sulfonylamidines can be ring-opened and cyclized to imidazolines. Overall this provides a one pot method for the electrophilic diamination of alkenes. Competing aziridine formation as well as allylic chlorination are also observed depending on the nature of the alkene used.