Synthesis and Crystal Structure of 3,3,6,6‐Tetramethylmorpholine‐2,5‐dione,and Its 5‐Monothioxo and 2,5‐Dithioxo Derivatives

The synthesis of 3,3‐dimethylmorpholine‐2,5‐diones 4a was achieved conveniently via the ‘direct amide cyclization’ of the linear precursors of type 3 , which were prepared by coupling of 2,2‐dimethyl‐2H‐azirin‐3‐amines 2 with 2‐hydroxyalkanoic acids 1 . Thionation of 4a with Lawesson's reagent yielded the corresponding 5‐thioxomorpholin‐2‐ones 10 and morpholine‐2,5‐dithiones 11 , respectively, depending on the reaction conditions. The structures of 3aa, 4aa, 10a , and 11a were established by X‐ray crystallography. All attempts to prepare S‐containing morpholine‐2,5‐dione analogs or thiomorpholine‐2,5‐diones by cyclization of corresponding S‐containing precursors were unsuccessful and led to various other products. The structures of some of them have also been established by X‐ray crystallography.