Unsaturated 5 -oxazolones, ring opening Michael reaction

Michael Reaction. 5(47/)-Oxazolones undergo base-catalyzed conjugate addition to activated unsaturated compounds to afford the corresponding C-4 Michael adducts. For example, base-catalyzed addition of a 4-monosubstituted-5(4//)-oxazolone 157 to methyl propiolate yields a mixture of diastereomeric methyl 3-(5-oxo-2-phenyl-2-oxazolin-4-yl)acrylates 158. Hydrolytic ring opening of 158 and subsequent oxidation with lead tetraacetate affords 3-acylacrylates 160... 

In contrast, ethyl 3-oxo-4-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)butyrate behaves as a C,0-bis(nucleophile) when reacted with unsaturated 5(4//)-oxazolones 584 with a leaving group at the exocyclic p-carbon. In this case, initial Michael reaction generates 585 that eliminates HX to produce a resonance stabihzed ylide 586. Cyclization of 586 with ring opening leads to the interesting ylide intermediate 587 used for the synthesis of 2//-pyran-2-ones (Scheme 7.185). 

Organophosphorous compounds have also been used as nucleophiles with unsaturated oxazolones. Initially, Michael reaction of a trialkyl- or dialkylphosphite gives 617 or 619 that undergo subsequent ring opening to yield a 2-acylamino-3-phosphonyl-618 or 2-acylammo-3-phosphinyl-620 derivative of the corresponding carboxylic acid, respectively (Scheme 7.198). ° ... 

Sulfur ylides are among the most interesting carbon nucleophiles and their synthetic importance has been recently reviewed.One especially interesting use of these ylides is their application to the synthesis of cyclopropane derivatives using unsaturated oxazolones. For example, stabilized sulfur yhdes react with unsaturated oxazolones 629 via a Michael reaction to give oxazolone spirocyclopropanes 630 as shown in Scheme 7.202 and Table 7.46 (Fig. 7.57), whereas the less stabilized sulfur ylides give ring-opened products 631 as the major compounds (Scheme 7.202). ... 

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