Mass spectral structure elucidation of substituted 4-oxazolidones,the photocycloexpansion products of 2,4-azetidindiones

Abstract-2-Methoxy-4-oxazolidone structures are assigned to the photocycloexpansion products of the substituted 2,4-azetidindiones on the basis of mass spectral evidence. A discussion is given of the mass spectra of 2-methoxy-4-oxazolidones and of their hydrolysis products, the 2-hydroxy-4-oxazolidones and the ring opened substituted 2-hydroxy-N-formyl acetamides. Ring and chain forms, when both isolated, yield completely different mass spectra, indicating that no rapid tautomeric equilibrium is established in the gas phase.