azidobutyronitriles proceeding via unusual aza-Wittig reactions between the phosphazene
and nitrile functions and affording pyrrole-derived iminophosphazenes were developed. α-
EWGs were found to control chemoselectivity and, depending on their nature, act as CN
group activators (eg, ester, amide, or nitrile) or competitors (eg, ketone) in aza-Wittig
reactions. To demonstrate the synthetic utility of the obtained iminophosphazenes as N, N …