An Efficient and Simple Entry to N-Substituted beta-Enamino Acid Derivatives from 2-Alkyl-2-oxazolines and 2-Alkyl-2-thiazolines

Reaction of azaenolates of 2-alkyl-oxa(thia)zolines 6 with imidoyl chlorides 7 as electrophiles to furnish masked N-substituted beta-enamino acid derivatives 1-2 in 70-90% yield is described. Alternative routes are discussed. Compounds 1-2 generally appear in one tautomeric form, imino or enamino, depending on the nature of the imidoyl chloride. The configuration of the enamino moiety (Z) and the conformation (s-cis) of compounds 1-2 obtained were established by an NMR study and unequivocally set by nuclear Overhauser effect difference experiments. An X-ray structure of compound 1e is also reported, showing a strong intramolecular NH.N hydrogen bond. Ab initio calculations (HF/3-21G and HF/3-21+G) have been carried out on several representative examples (1e, 1p, and 1l) in an attempt to support and provide the correct geometry of these derivatives. Structural considerations among the possible isomers of compounds 1 are discussed. From these studies it was concluded that the theoretical calculations agree with the experimental results. In addition, a very simple one-pot procedure for the preparation of masked N-substituted alpha-alkylated beta-enamino acid derivatives 2 from 6, 7, and different alkyl halides (R(3)Y) is described.     

Phenyldimethylsilyl-Substituted Ketenes and Bisketenes

The phenyldimethylsilyl-substituted monoketene PhMe(2)SiCH=C=O (1) and bisketene (PhMe(2)SiC=C=O)(2) (3) have been prepared and compared to the corresponding Me(3)Si- and t-BuMe(2)Si-substituted species. The (13)C, (17)O, and (29)Si NMR spectra fit the pattern shown by other silylketenes and provide no evidence for transmission of a substituent effect of the Ph group through the silicon to the ketenyl group, as has been proposed for PhMe(2)Si-substituted radicals. The UV spectrum of 1 does show a longer lambda and greater epsilon than for t-BuMe(2)SiCH=C=O, and this may indicate some interaction of the phenyl group with the ketene chromophore, while the greater reactivity of 1 in hydration compared to t-BuMe(2)SiCH=C=O is ascribed to the inductive effect of the phenyl. The very similar ring-opening reactivity of the bis(phenyldimethylsilyl)cyclobutenedione (6) to form 3 compared to the bis(Me(3)Si) analogues also provides no evidence of a significant interaction of the phenyl with the ketene. A new type of stabilized 1,8-bisketene based on the arylbis(dimethylsilyl) grouping, namely, 1,4-bis(ketenyldimethylsilyl)benzene (12), has been prepared for the first time.