Carbon dioxide: A reagent for the protection of nucleophilic centers and the simultaneous activation of alternative locations to electrophilic attack: 15. A synthetic method for the α‐substitution of N ‐phenylbenzylamine

N ‐Phenylbenzylamine has been converted into a variety of α‐substituted derivatives in one‐pot sequences, using carbon dioxide both for N ‐protection and α‐carbon activation, and then subsequent lithiation at the α‐carbon atom by either tert ‐ or n ‐butyllithium. The resulting lithium carbamate reacts with electrophiles, followed smooth acid‐catalyzed decarboxylation under mild condition to give α‐substituted N ‐phenylbenzylamines in good yields.