Matrix-IR spectroscopic investigations of the thermolysis and photolysis of diazoamides.

Matrix photolysis of N,N-dialkyldiazoacetamides 1a-d at 7-10 K results in either the formation of C-H insertion products (in case of N,N-dimethyl and N,N-diethyl diazoamides) or almost exclusive Wolff rearrangement to ketenes (in the case of the cyclic diazoamides N-(diazoacetyl)azetidine and N-(diazoacetyl)pyrrolidine). This can be ascribed to higher activation barriers for the approach of the singlet carbene p orbital in 5 (or of the diazo carbon in an excited state of 1) to the stronger and "tied back" nature of the C-H bonds in the cyclic substituents. In contrast, flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT) of diazoamides 1a-d, in which reactions of excited states are excluded, gives rise to clean C-H insertion with only minor Wolff rearrangement to ketenes.

Chemistry of stable iminopropadienones, RN=C=C=C=O.

The synthesis, spectroscopic properties, and chemical reactions of the stable (neopentylimino)-, (mesitylimino)-, and (o-tert-butylphenylimino)propadienones (6) are reported. Nucleophilic addition of amines affords the malonic amidoamidines 7 and 8. 3,5-Dimethylpyrazole reacts analogously to form 9b.

Retro-Ene Reactions in Acylallene Derivatives.

Allenic esters and amides 4 undergo a retro-ene reaction to vinylketene (6) and an aldehyde or imine (5) under the conditions of flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT). The same products are obtained by FVT of cyclobutenones 7 via electrocyclic ring opening to alkoxy- or aminovinylketenes 3 and 1,3-rearrangement of ketenes 3 to allenes 4. All the intermediates and products were characterized by matrix isolation IR spectroscopy, and in the case of 4c the reaction was also monitored by online mass spectrometry.