Diphosgene reaction with amides

Phosgene, as well as the easier to handle diphosgene (chloroformic acid trichloromethyl ester) or triphosgene (carbonic acid bis(trichloromethyl) ester) transform primary, secondary and tertiary amides and thioamides to chloromethyleneiminium chlorides (25 equation 15), whereby the reaction with thioamides is of broader scope and proceeds with fewer side reactions. The amide chlorides derived from primary and secondary amides can lose HCl, giving nitriles or imidoyl halides, respectively. /V-Sub-stituted formamides can be converted to isonitriles via amide halides. ... 

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