Abstract: | 4-Toluenesulfonyl isocyanate cyclized with 1,2-epoxy-3-phenoxypropane and 2,3-epoxypropyl 4-methoxyphenyl ether, respectively, to give 3-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-5-phenoxymethylene-2-oxazolidone ( I ) and 3-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-5-(4-methoxyphenoxymethylene)-2-oxazolidone ( II ). Compounds I and II were hydrolyzed in 2 M sodium hydroxide solution to the corresponding uncyclized hydroxy amides, VII and VIII. Compound I was remarkably stable toward 6 M hydrochloric acid and amines. Styrene oxide, 1,2-epoxybutane, 3-chloro-1,2-epoxypropane, and 1-methoxy-2-methylpropylene oxide reacted with the isocyanate to afford 3-(4-toluene-sulfonyl)-4-phenyl-2-oxazolidone (III), 3-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-4-ethyl-2-oxazolidone ( IV ), 3-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-5-chloromethyl-2-oxazolidone ( V ), and 3-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-4,4-dimethyl-5-methoxy-2-oxazolidone ( VI ), respectively. The yield of VI was constant over a temperature range of 25–90°. |