Retro-ene reactions in heterocyclic synthesis,III. A new route to 4,5-dihydrooxazoles and 5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-oxazines

Methyl (E)-4,4-dimethyl-5-oxo-2-pentenoate ( 1 , X = O) reacted with 1,2- or 1,3-aminoalcohols 3 to yield oxazolidines 4a-c or tetrahydro-1,3-oxazines 4d,e. The corresponding imino ester 1 (X = NBu-t) also gave 4 on reaction with 3 . Compounds 4 on heating at 230° yielded 4,5-dihydrooxazoles 5a-c or 5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-oxazines 5d,e along with methyl 4-methyl-3-pentenoate ( 6 ).