Direct electrophilic diamination of functionalized alkenes without the use of any metal catalysts.

A new direct electrophilic diamination reaction of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and esters has been established without the use of any metal catalysts. Three types of nitriles (CH(3)CN, CH(3)CH(2)CN, and CH(3)CH(2)CH(2)CN) were employed as nucleophilic nitrogen sources. A new mechanism has also been proposed to explain the resulting regio- and stereoselectivity.