Influence of steric factors on the rates of thermal racemisation of N-alkyl-oxaziridines. Isolation of an enantiomer whose optical activity is due solely to a tercovalent asymmetric nitrogen atom

Abstract

The influence of steric factors on the optical stability of N-alkyl-diphenyloxaziridines is proved by an 8000-fold higher rate of racemisation of the t-butyl as compared with the methyl derivative; the optically active t-butyl derivative is the first example of a highly pure enantiomer whose optical activity is due solely to a tercovalent non-bridgehead nitrogen.