Methyl transfer by endocyclic nucleophilic displacement
Abstract
Conversion of the amino-ester (6) into the betaine (7) proceeds at low concentrations partly by way of an intramolecular methyl transfer, whereas the corresponding reaction of the lower homologue (4) is entirely intermolecular; the intramolecular reaction is the first proved example of methyl transfer by an endocyclic nucleophilic substitution.