Saturated heterocyclic ring systems, proton

The basicities of saturated heterocycles are similar to those of analogous open chain systems, with the exception of three-membered heterocycles, in which the basicity is markedly reduced. Table 1 gives pvalues for the equilibria between free and monoprotonated heterocycles. As the ring size increases, the protonated species become more stable and the pKa values approach those of the open chain analogues. Increasing basicity (thiirane < oxirane < aziridine) prevails in gas phase proton affinities (Table 2) (80JA5151). 

This method has been extended to include imines other than A -thia-zolines, hence enabling the synthesis of multi ring-fused 2-pyridones (28,30, and 33, Scheme 8). Thus, by reacting dihydroisoquinoUnes 27 or /1-carboUnes 29 with acyl Meldrum s acid derivatives 24, a set of new ring-fused heterocycles was prepared in moderate to excellent yields (a and b. Scheme 8). These systems were prepared by using trifluoro acetic acid (TFA) as a proton source instead of solutions saturated with HCl (g). The switch of acid proved to be advantageous since it reduced the formation of by-products and increased the isolated yields. From a practical point of view, TFA is also su-... 

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