Carbanions generated from various acyclic and cyclic α-azido ketones in the presence
of bases were reacted with ethyl 3-[(carbamoylimino)amino]but-2-enoate as a Michael
acceptor to give the corresponding adducts. The adducts of acyclic azides were unstable
and eliminated hydrazoic acid to give the corresponding ethyl 2-[1-[(carbamoylamino)imino]ethyl]-4-oxo-4-phenylbut-2-enoates
as (E,E/Z,E)-diastereomeric mixtures. The relative configuration of these diastereomers was determined
by X-ray analysis. Adducts of cyclic α-azido ketones were obtained in diastereomerically
pure form, with the exception of 2-azidobenzosuberone.
Key words
ketones - azides - Michael additions - carbanions - diazadienes