Spiro fused β-lactam cyclopropenes

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Abstract
Δ3-1,3,4-Oxadiazolines (1) that share their C2 with C4 of a β-lactam ring in a spiro fusion were prepared. The structures were established through single crystal X-ray diffraction of 1a and by infrared, 1H, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Thermolysis of 1 at 100 °C, in benzene containing dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, afforded spiro-fused β-lactam cyclopropene 12 in 33% yield. Similar thermolysis of 1b in the presence of ethyl phenylpropiolate gave spiro-fused β-lactam cyclopropene 13 (32%). The molecular structure of 12, determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, has the two ester carbonyl carbons out of the plane of the cyclopropene ring by about 0.17 Ǻ, indicating substantial nonbonded steric interactions and suggesting unusually high strain energy. At 154.5 °C, 12 underwent isomerization to 19, presumably through a vinyl carbene intermediate.