A Facile Cleavage of the Carbon-Nitrogen Bond of Aromatic Imines Using Acylation Reagents in the Presence of Catalytic Amounts of Ytterbium Triflate

Catalytic amounts of ytterbium triflate were used to promote the cleavage of aromatic imines with acylation reagents, including acyl chlorides and anhydrides or sulfonyl chlorides, to obtain aldehydes and acyl amides or sulfonamides in high yields. Products of Friedel–Crafts acylation have not been detected.