A New Protocol for the Synthesis of N(1)-Unsubstituted 2-Substituted 2-Imidazolines

Lateral metallation at C-2(α) of 1-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2-methyl-2-imidazoline followed by reaction with a range of C-electrophiles and deprotection with TFA reliably affords N(1)-unsubstituted 2-substituted 2-imidazolines; P- or Se-electrophiles lead to 2-alkenyl-2-imidazolines via Wadsworth–Emmons or selenoxide elimination protocols.