Rearrangement of 1,4-benzodiazepin-2,4-diones to 3,l-benzoxazin-4-ones

Treatment of 7-chloro-3,4-dihydro-1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2,5-dione (Ia) with refluxing acetic anhydride in the presence of pyridine afforded 6-chloro-2-methyl-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one (IIa). A plausible reaction path for this novel rearrangement reaction is described: Ia → 4-acetyl-7-chloro-3,4-dihydro-lH-1,4-benzodiazepin-2,5-dione → 7-chloro-1,4-diacetyl-3,4-dihydro-lH-1,4-benzodiazepin-2,4-dione → IIa. When 7-chloro-3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-lH-1,4-benzodiazepin-2,5-dione (Ib), 3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2,5-dione (Id) and 3,4-dihydro-1-methyl-1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2,5-dione (Ie) were allowed to react with acetic anhydride under conditions similar to those used for the rearrangement reaction, only acetylation occurred.