A new and efficient samarium diiodide-promoted carbon-carbon bond fragmentation reaction of alpha-aminomethyl malonates, taking place normally at room temperature and generating the corresponding deaminomethylation products in 74-94% yields, is reported. The presence of the amino group is necessary for the success of the current transformation.
The State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100083, China.