Ytterbium(III) triflate/TMSCI: efficient catalyst for imino ene reaction

[reaction: see text] Ytterbium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Yb(OTf)3] catalyzed the imino ene reaction of N-tosyl aldimine with alpha-methylstyrene to give a homoallylamine in moderate yield. Furthermore, addition of a catalytic amount of chlorotrimethylsilane (TMSCI) dramatically enhanced the imino ene reaction.