Position of the equilibrium during the migration of double bonds in the pyrazoline ring

Data characterizing the position of the equilibrium between Δ²- and Δ¹-pyrazolines with alkyl substituents in different positions, which is established under the influence of potassium tertbutoxide in tert-butyl alcohol at 90°C, were obtained. 3-Alkyl-Δ²-pyrazolines are thermodynamically more stable than their isomers with different positions of the double bond, so that the fraction of the latter in equilibrium mixtures does not exceed 1–2%, and they are practically completely isomerized to the 3-Alkyl-Δ²-substituted derivatives. If the position of the side chains excludes the possibility of the formation of 3-alkyl-Δ²-pyrazolines by migration of the double bond (4-alkyl- and 5,5-dialkyl-substituted compounds), the fraction of Δ¹-pyrazolines in the equilibrium rises appreciably and reaches 12% for 3,3-diethyl-Δ¹-pyrazoline.