α-Organoelement-substituted nitrones have been synthesized for the first time through the reaction of
the α-lithiated cyclic aldonitrones of 3-imidazoline 3-oxide, pyrroline 1-oxide, 2H-imidazole 1-oxide,
and 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline 2-oxide series with electrophilic reagents such as HgCl2, (CH3)3SiCl, (C2H5)3GeCl, (n-C4H9)3SnBr, Ph2P(O)Cl, Ph2PCl, PhSSPh, PhSeSePh, TsCl, and TsF. Aldonitrones of the
3-imidazoline 3-oxide and pyrroline 1-oxide series were shown to readily afford the products of the
lithiation−electrophilic substitution reaction. In contrast, aldonitrones of the 2H-imidazole 1-oxide and
3,4-dihydroisoquinoline 2-oxide series react smoothly only with halogen-free electrophiles. It was found
that an aldonitrone group could be lithiated and selectively reacted with electrophiles even when kinetically
more acidic methylene and amino groups are present in the molecule. Characteristic features of IR and
13C NMR spectra of the compounds synthesized are discussed. Selected α-organoelement nitrones are
characterized by an X-ray diffraction study.