Novel, regioselective allylamine construction; first synthesis of geranyllinaloisocyanide, a diterpene from the marine sponge, Halichondria sp.

The first synthesis of the diterpene, 3-isocyano-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadeca-1,6,10,14-tetraene (geranyllinaloisocyanide, 1), has been achieved through an allyl cyanate-to-isocyanate rearrangement. The crucial step in this synthesis is in situ transformation of allyl isocyanates into stable allyl acetamides with trimethylaluminium.