5-(1-Alkenyl)-1, 3, 4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-one

3-(2-alkenoyl)-thiocarbazic acid O-methyl esters 1 are desulfurated by bromine and the unknown intermediates are transformed by alkali to 5-(1-alkenyl)-1, 3, 4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-ones ( 2 ). This type of oxadiazolone substitution is not realizable by the common ring closure of hydrazides with phosgene due to pyrazolidinone ring closure of unsaturated acids with hydrazine.