Thermal cycloaddition reaction of symmetrical and unsymmetrical α‐diazo‐β‐diketones with 4‐aryl‐2‐methyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1,5‐benzothia/diazepines

Symmetrical and unsymmetrical α‐diazo‐β‐diketones undergo thermal Wolff rearrangements to generate α‐carbonylketenes to participate as dienes in Diels–Alder reactions with 4‐aryl‐2‐methyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1,5‐benzothia/diazepines to give, whereapplicable, regiospecific cycloadducts, 4a,5,6,12‐tetrahydro‐1H/1H,7H‐1,3‐oxazino3,2‐d]1,5]benzo‐thia/diazepin‐1‐ones. A mechanism of formation of the regiospecific cycloadducts is suggested. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 35–40, 1999