Remarkable stereoselectivity switch in synthesis of carbonyl substituted N2-arylamidrazones with low lipophilicity

Reaction of carbonyl substituted hydrazonoyl chlorides with amines usually leads to Z-configured amidrazone derivatives via nucleophilic substitution of the chlorine atom. Surprisingly, N,N-dimethylcarboxamide substituted hydrazonoyl chlorides yielded E-amidrazones when dialkylamines were used as nucleophilic reagent. The lipophilicities of the obtained amidrazones were found to be drastically reduced compared to their corresponding carboxanilides.