Base-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroamination of Conjugated Enynes

A de novo intramolecular hydroamination of conjugated enynes was developed using commercially available n-BuLi as a precatalyst. This hydroamination reaction successfully afforded allenyl-substituted pyrrolidines with up to 95% yield. One of the resulting allenyl pyrrolidines was converted to the natural products irniine and irnidine in three steps.