New adamantane derivatives 1 and 2 that bear functionalized one-carbon extensions at all four bridgehead positions have been prepared. Radical nucleophilic substitution (S(RN)1) reaction of 1,3,5,7-tetrabromoadamantane with cyanide produces 1,3,5,7-tetracyanoadamantane (1), which was reduced with borane reagents to 1,3,5,7-tetrakis(aminomethyl)adamantane (2). Improvements in the preparation of 1,3,5,7-tetrahaloadamantanes (halogen = Br, Cl, I) are also reported. [structure--see text]

An advance in the selective acylation of polyamines having identical or similar amine functions is reported. While nucleophilicity differences between the various amine functions are slight, the corresponding conjugate acids exhibit pKa values over a significant range. We have used proton as polyamine protecting group: the monoamine resulting from single deprotonation of a polyammonium compound has allowed for high yields of selective acylation.