Dimerization of acrylamides by rhodium trichloride

Abstract

Acrylamide and its N-monosubstituted derivatives in an alcoholic solution are dimerized by rhodium trichloride into the corresponding trans-α-hydromuconamides, but in the N,N-disubstituted derivatives, the cleavage of the amide group takes place. This difference is attributable to the alternation of coordinating positions (amide or olefin). The trans-α-hydromuconamides obtained were used to study the conjugating effect of amide bands.