Regioselective synthesis of pyrrolin-3-ones and 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro[1,3]-oxazines from N-vinylic amidines

Achiral and optically active N-vinylic amidines are obtained by simple addition of amidines to acetylenic esters. Thermal intramolecular cyclization of these substrates containing a carboxylate group in position 3 gives pyrrolin-3-ones. The enaminone character of these compounds towards propargyl bromide, diethyl azodicarboxylate, diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, ethyl propiolate and phenyl isocyanate is studied and functionalized pyrrolin-3-one derivatives are obtained. The reaction of the pyrrolinones prepared with diethyl ketomalonate leads to new 1,3-oxazine derivatives.