| Abstract: | A mixture of 3-(α,β-epoxyisopropyl)-1-phenyl-2-azetidinone and benzylamine was heated in a sealed tube at 120–130° yielding 4-anilinomethyl-1-benzyl-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone as a mixture of diastereoisomers. By this method, 4-anilinomethyl-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrrolidinone and 4-anilinomethyl-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)-2-pyrrolidinone were obtained by using aniline and 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine, respectively, instead of benzylamine. The reaction of 4-formyl-1-phenyl-2-azetidinone with 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine afforded 4-anilino-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)-2,3-dihydro-2-oxopyrrole. In a similar fashion, the 1-n-butyl and 1-isobutyl analogues were obtained by the use of n-butylamine and isobutylamine, respectively, instead of 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine. |
