Unanticipated products from reductive and oxidative cleavages of 1‐substituted 3,3‐diphenyl‐1′‐methylspiro[azetidine‐2,3′‐indoline]‐2′,4‐diones

Abstract

AbstractTitled spiroazetidinones 1a, 1b undergo reductive cleavage on treatment with excess lithium aluminum hydride forming 3‐benzhydryl‐1‐methylindole as the main product together with a γ‐amino alcohol depending upon the substituent present on the azetidin‐2‐one ring. Treatment of 1a with Ce(IV) ammonium nitrate affords 2‐hydroxy‐N‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐2,2‐diphenylacetamide besides the anticipated N‐unsubstituted 2‐azetidinone, whereas a similar treatment of 1‐benzhydryl‐3,3‐diphenyl‐2‐azetidinone 1b affords the ring expansion product 1,3‐oxazolidin‐4‐one. The products have been characterized on the basis of satisfactory analytical and spectral (IR, 1H and 13C‐NMR, DEPT, HMBC) data and their formation is discussed. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).