Synthesis via photocycloaddition

Aoyama et al. in relation to their studies on photochemical synthesis of (3-lactams [91] reported the synthesis of 4-spirocyclopropylazetidin-2-one [92] via photocycloaddition of 4-thioxoazetidin-2-one to alkenes followed by subsequent desulfurization. A solution of 1-isopropyl-3-phenyl-4-thioxoazetidin-2-one 70 and 1,1-diphenylethylene in benzene on irradiation with a high pressure mercury lamp afforded a [2 + 2] adduct 72 (R = Ph), in 67% yield which, on desulfurization with Raney-nickel [93] in anhydrous ethanol gave two isomeric... 

The regioselectivity of the Paterno-Biichi reaction with acyclic enol ethers is substantially higher than with the corresponding unsymmetrically alkyl-substituted olefins. This effect was used for the synthesis of a variety of 3-alkoxyoxetanes and a series of derivatives [55]. The diastereoisomeric cis-and tnms-l-methoxy-l-butenes were used as substrates for the investigation of the spin state influence on reactivity, regio- and stereoselectivity [56]. The use of trimethylsilyloxyethene 62 as electron rich alkene is advantageous and several 1,3-anhydroapiitol derivatives such as 63 could be synthesized via photocycloaddition with l,3-diacetoxy-2-propanone 61 (Sch. 17) [57]. 

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