Ring-chain tautomerism involving five-membered rings

Ring-chain tautomerism established by intramolecular reversible N — H group addition to the hydrazone C=N bond has been studied in a wide series of derivatives with different structures containing hydrazone N — H groups [for a review, see (88KGS3)]. The cyclic tautomers mostly involve five- or six-membered rings. 

Various methods are available for the preparation of the foregoing precursors to V-acyliminium ions. The most straightforward synthesis of V-(l-hydroxyalkyl)-amides or -carbamates (2 X = OH) involves the addition of primary or secondary amides (carbamates) to aldehydes or ketones. This reaction is an equilibrium process and usually disfavors the adduct except for two special cases. The first involves very reactive aldehydes like formaldehyde, chloral and glyoxylic acid and its esters (equation 4) compounds (4)-(6) are fairly stable compounds that are frequently used in amidoalkylation reactions. The second special case is the intramolecular variant (ring-chain tautomerism), if it leads to five- or six-membered rings (equations 5 and 6). Thus, for n = 1 or 2, (7) and (8) cyclize to (9) and (10), respectively, although the nature of R has an influence on this process. " ... 

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