Asymmetric synthesis of 4-formyl-1-(ω-haloalkyl)-β-lactams and their transformation to functionalized piperazines and 1,4-diazepanes

Chiral piperazine and 1,4-diazepane annulated β-lactams, prepared from the corresponding (3R,4S)-4-imidoyl-1-(ω-haloalkyl)azetidin-2-ones through reduction with sodium borohydride in ethanol, were transformed into novel methyl (R)-alkoxy-[(S)-piperazin-2-yl]acetates and methyl (R)-alkoxy-[(S)-1,4-diazepan-2-yl]acetates upon treatment with hydrogen chloride in methanol. On the other hand, bromination of (3R,4R)-1-allyl-4-formyl-β-lactams and (3R,4S)-1-allyl-4-imidoyl-β-lactams in dichloromethane, followed by sodium borohydride reduction of the resulting dibrominated azetidin-2-ones in ethanol, did not afford the envisaged bicyclic β-lactams but unexpectedly furnished (3R,4S)-1-(2-bromo-2-propenyl)azetidin-2-ones instead.     

Preparation and Radical Oligomerization of anFe(II) Complex without Loss of Spin-Crossover Properties

Summary.  11-(4H-1,2,4-Triazol-4-yl)-undecylmethacrylate (1), a new ligand for Fe(II) spin-crossover (SCO) complexes containing a polymerizable group, was synthesized and characterized. The complex [Fe·1 ₃](BF₄)₂ (2) was obtained by reaction of 1 with Fe(BF₄)₂·6H₂O (molar ratio 1/Fe(II) = 3/1) in THF. Complex 2 showed a gradual spin-crossover between 80 and 230 K. The methacrylate units in the ligands of complex 2 could be oligomerized radically in solution (initiator: azoisobutyronitrile) without loss of the spin-crossover behaviour. Received May 30, 2000. Accepted December 10, 2000