1,3‐Dipolar Cycloadditions to (5Z)‐1‐Acyl‐5‐(cyanomethylidene)‐ imidazolidine‐2,4‐diones: Synthesis and Transformations of Spirohydantoin Derivatives

Cycloadditions of various 1,3‐dipoles to (5Z)‐1‐acyl‐5‐(cyanomethylidene)‐3‐methylimidazolidine‐2,4‐diones 8 or 9 , prepared in 3 steps from hydantoin ( 1 ) (Schemes 1 and 2), were studied. In all cases, reactions proceeded regio‐ and stereoselectively. The type of product depended on the 1,3‐dipole and/or dipolarophile employed as well as on reaction conditions. Thus, with stable dipoles under neutral conditions, spirohydantoin derivatives 12 – 16 were obtained (Scheme 2), while under basic or acidic conditions, pyrazole‐ or isoxazole‐5‐carboxamides 18 and 23 – 26 and carboxylate 27 were formed via aromatization of the newly formed dihydroazole ring, followed by the simultaneous cleavage of the hydantoin ring (Schemes 3 – 5).