Commercially available cyclobutanone 6 was converted into N-(cyclobutylidene)isopropylamine (7) [13] by reaction with isopropylamine (3.5 equiv) in diethyl ether in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of titanium(IV) chloride which acts as an activator and chemical dehydrating agent. Without purification, the cyclobutanone imine 7 was deprotonated with LDA in THF at -78 °C and the resulting 1-azaallylic anion intermediate was reacted with various alkylbromides ...