Siloxy-N-silylketenimines generated in situ from O-silyl cyanohydrins were converted to α-ketoamides by brief exposure to air or oxygen. Oxidation under extremely mild conditions can be explained by assuming the intermediacy of a 3-imino-1,2-dioxetane derivative generated via triplet–singlet intersystem crossing after the reaction of siloxy-N-silylketenimines with triplet oxygen.

The [3 + 2] annulation of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes and ylidenemalonates, in which an α-p-tosyl carbanion functions as a donor substituent, is described. A notable feature of the annulation is that the auxiliary p-tosylmethyl group can be removed via a cycloreversion during the tandem annulation sequence.

An enantioselective Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley-type reduction of ynenoylsilanes by a chiral lithium amide followed by a Brook rearrangement and anti-mode protonation across conjugated 1,3-enynes provides allene derivatives bearing a 2-siloxyvinyl moiety in high enantioselectivity. The E/Z geometry of enol silyl ethers is controlled by the geometry of the starting enyne moiety. Thus, (E)- and (Z)-enol silyl ethers are obtained from (Z)- and (E)-ynenoylsilans, respectively. The 2-siloxyvinylallene products can participate in Diels–Alder reactions with reactive dienophiles such as PTAD, which can be achieved in a one-pot operation from ynenoylsilanes.

Reactions of γ-bromo-α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated acylsilanes with KCN under phase-transfer catalyst conditions using n-Bu4NBr afforded 2-cyano-2-siloxyvinylallenes via a tandem process that involves a nucleophilic attack of a cyanide ion and a Brook rearrangement induced conjugate vinylic 1,4-elimination. Use of a chiral cyanide ion source, derived from KCN and quaternary ammonium bromide derived from cinchona alkaloids, provided nonracemic allene derivatives. Based on this result and the reaction using a chiral hydride ion source, we propose a reaction pathway in which a Brook rearrangement mediated vinylic conjugate 1,4-elimination occurs in a syn alignment between the C–Br bond and C–Si bond in the silicate intermediate.

The stereochemical course of electrophilic substitution of α-nitrile metallocarbanions generated by deprotonation from N-Boc- and N-carbamoyl-2-cyano-6-methylpiperidines was investigated. Deprotonation in the presence of an electrophile taking advantage of the high acidity of α-nitrile protons allowed examination of the effects of a chelating group on the nitrogen atom, a countercation, and the reactivity of an electrophile on the steric course. Analyses of reactions using aroyl chlorides and methyl iodide revealed the following: (1) the substitution reactions basically proceed with retention of configuration, (2) the extent of an inversion product increases with decreasing chelating ability of the N-substituent and with increasing leaving ability (ionic character) of a countercation (Li, Na, K) of the anionic species, and (3) the use of a more reactive electrophile results in an increase of the retention product.

Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley-type reduction of N-tosylsilylimines with chiral lithium amide 2 affords α-silylamines in high enantioselectivity. Since the enantioselectivity observed was inconsistent with our previously proposed chairlike six-membered transition structure, we performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations on transition states leading to (S)- and (R)-7a and (S)- and (R)-7e using an N-phenylsulfonyl derivatives 12 and 13 as model systems. Results of the calculations showed that the structures are considerably deformed from the chairlike form with steric repulsions between the 1′-methylene group and the imine-carbon substituents playing an important role in the control of the enantioselectivity.