Reduction and hydrolysis of substituted 5-oxa-6-azaspiro[2.4]heptane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid esters

Substituted 5-oxa-6-azaspiro[2.4]heptane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid esters synthesized by reaction of nitrones with dimethyl 3-methylidenecyclopropane-1,2-dicarboxylate were reduced with lithium tetrahydridoaluminate to the corresponding bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropanes. Alkaline hydrolysis of the title compounds gave substituted cyclopropane-1,2-dicarboxylic acids. In both cases, the 5-oxa-6-azaspiro[2.4]heptane fragment remained intact.