Difference in thermal behaviour between 1- and 2-alkyl-5-(methoxycarbonyldiazomethyl)tetrazoles

In continuation of previous work, isomeric diazoester-substituted alkyltetrazoles 5 and 6 have been synthesized by the diazo-transfer method and studied in thermolysis reactions. Whereas the N-1 alkyl derivatives 5 give norcaradienes 7 in benzene solution and imidazotetrazoles 12 in acetonitrile, the more thermostable N-2 alkyl isomers 6 yield fluxional norcaradiene-cycloheptatriene systems, 10 – 11 , and ox-azoles 13.