The [2,3] sigmatropic rearrangement of N-benzyl-O-allylhydroxylamines

The rearrangement of a range of N-benzyl-O-allylhydroxylamines to the corresponding N-allylhydroxylamines upon treatment with n-BuLi in THF, followed by reduction to the corresponding N-allylamines, is described. Mechanistic studies of the transformation are consistent with an intramolecular [2,3] sigmatropic rearrangement.