Regioselective hydrolysis of ketenimines derived from NH-acids and acetylenic esters in the presence of tert-butyl isocyanide under neutral conditions

The regioselective hydrolysis of ketenimines derived from NH-acids, such as 2,2,2-trichloro-N-phenylacetamide or ethyl-2-anilino-2-oxoacetates and acetylenic esters in the presence of tert-butyl isocyanide in a THF/H₂O system (1/1) without any catalysis leads to a diastereomeric mixture of dialkyl 2-[(tert-butylamino)carbonyl]-3-[(2,2,2-trichloroacetyl)anilino]succinates and dialkyl 2-[(tert-butylamino)carbonyl]-3-[2-ethoxy-2-oxoacetyl)anilino]-succinates in good yields. Dynamic NMR effects were observed in the ¹³C NMR spectra of diethyl 2-[(tert-butylamino)carbonyl]-3-[(2,2,2-trichloroacetyl)anilino]succinate as a result of restricted rotation around the N-aryl single bond. The free energy of activation (ΔG ^#) for this process is 37.9 kJ mol⁻¹ which leads to an observable atropisomerism. Correspondence: Dr. Farough Nasiri PhD, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kurdistan, P.O. Box 66315-416, Sanandaj, Iran.