Patent ID: 7309799

Claim:
A method represented by Scheme A: wherein X represents O, S or NR′; Y represents O, S, or NR′; R′ represents independently for each occurrence H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, cyano, halogen, hydroxyl, alkoxyl, aryloxy, arylalkyloxy, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, arylakylamino, sulfhydryl, alkylthio, arylthio, arylakylthio, nitro, azido, alkylseleno, formyl, acyl, carboxyl, silyl, silyloxy, (alkyloxy)carbonyl, (aryloxy)carbonyl, (arylalkyloxy)carbonyl, (alkylamino)carbonyl, (arylamino)carbonyl, (arylalkylamino)carbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, or —(CH 2 ) m —R 80 ; NuZ represents wherein the nitrogen atom of NuZ attacks the carbon atom of —Y—C(R2)(R3)— in the substrate, displacing Y and forming Nu—C(R2)(R3)— in the product; Z represents a pair of electrons, H, alkali metal cation, alkaline earth cation, main-group metal cation, transition metal cation, ammonium cation, or sulfonium cation; A represents optionally substituted aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl or heteroaralkyl; R represents independently for each occurrence H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, cyano, halogen, hydroxyl, alkoxyl, aryloxy, arylalkyloxy, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, arylakylamino, sulfhydryl, alkylthio, arylthio, arylakylthio, nitro, azido, alkylseleno, formyl, acyl, carboxyl, silyl, silyloxy, (alkyloxy)carbonyl, (aryloxy)carbonyl, (arylalkyloxy)carbonyl, (alkylamino)carbonyl, (arylamino)carbonyl, (arylalkylamino)carbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, or —(CH 2 ) m —R 80 ; R1 represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, or —(CH 2 ) m R 80 ; R2 represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, or —(CH 2 ) m R 80 ; R3 represents H; R 80 represents independently for each occurrence an aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heterocyclyl, or polycyclyl moiety; and m is independently for each occurrence an integer in the range 0 to 8 inclusive.