[Constantine]

Guys, I need your advice as to which preposition, to/onto/with/by, should be used in the following sentence:

"the transimination reaction of the tert-butylimine group to/onto/with/by the butylimine in N,N'-ditert-butyl-1,2-ethanediimine".

Many thanks in advance

[Dan]

I would probably just say:

...the transimination of N,N'-di(tert-butyl)-1,2-ethanediimine with butylamine

It would be better if you can post the full sentence though.

Just to clarify, the reaction we're talking about is this?

^tBuN=CHCH=N^tBu + 2BuNH₂    BuN=CHCH=NBu + 2^tBuNH₂

[Constantine]

Yes, Dan, we are talking about this reaction. The full sentence is as follows:
The results of experimental studies on the transimination reaction of the tert-butylimine group to the butylimine and octylimine in N,N'-ditert-butyl-1,2-ethanediimine are reported. Treatment of N,N'-ditert-butyl-1,2-ethanediimine with benzylamine, allylamine, or furfurylamine results in the respective hexabenzyl-(allyl-, furfuryl)hexaazaisowurtzitane." ---this is for an article for the Journal of Organic Chemistry.
May be it is more correct to rephrase like "...studies on the substitution of the butylimine and octylimine groups for the tert-butylimine in N,N'-di(tert-butyl)-1,2-ethanediimine?"
Or your variant "...the transimination of N,N'-di(tert-butyl)-1,2-ethanediimine with butylamine and octylimine..." is also eligible and has sense in this context?
Please advice

[Dan]

"...the transimination of N,N'-di(tert-butyl)-1,2-ethanediimine with butylamine and octylimine..." is also eligible and has sense in this context?

Yes. Personally, I would use this one.