N-benzyl-N-[(E)-2-phenylethenyl]trifluoromethanesulfonamide

In the search for an approach to N-vinyltriflamides with a free NH group TfNHCH=CHR (Tf = CF3SO2) N-(benzyl)-N-(2-bromo-2-phenylethenyl)triflamide TfN(Bn)CH=CHPh was synthesized through bromination-dehydrobromination of N-(benzyl)-N-(2-phenylethyl)triflamide. At removing the benzyl protecttion by the action of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid benzyl alcohol separated; however instead of the target N-styryltriflamide unexpectedly the product of its hydrogenation was obtained, N-(2-phenylethyl)triflamide. Obviously, the benzyl alcohol was the hydrogen donor, and the easy hydrogenation was facilitated by the high electrophilicity of the double bond in N-styryltriflamide because of strong electron-acceptor effect of the triflyl group.