Abstract: | The cyclic nitrones 7-chloro-1,3-dihydro-5-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one 4-oxide ( 5a ) and 1,3-dihydro-7-methylthio-5-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one 4-oxide ( 5b ) are photoisomerized to readily isolable oxaziridines, 7-chloro-4,5-epoxy-5-phenyl-1,3,4–5-tetrahydro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one ( 6a ) and 4,5-epoxy-5-phenyl-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-7-methylthio-2H-1,4-benzo-diazepin-2-one ( 6b ). Oxaziridine 6b upon further irradiation gave ring expansion and ring contraction products, 4,6-dihydro-2-phenyl-9-methylthio-5H-1,3,6-benzoxadiazocin-5-one ( 7b ) and 4-benzoyl-3,4-dihydro-6-methylthioquinoxalin-2(1H)-one ( 8b ) respectively. The ring contraction product, 4-benzoyl-6-chloro-3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2(1H)-one ( 8a ), was obtained from irradiation of oxaziridine 6a . |