Reactions of N,N‐Disubstituted Formamides with Alkali Metals

A New Base Mediated Method for the Cleavage of tert-Butyl Esters

“…Considering the fact that the reaction failed to proceed when THF was used as a solvent, and that DMF undergoes fragmentation in the presence of bases at room temperature, 5,6 it is expected that the reactive base is not sodium hydride but sodium dimethylamide formed by the reaction of sodium hydride and dimethylamine (formed by fragmentation of DMF):…”