Synthesis of azetidin-3-ones. Structure of N-tosyl-2-ethylazetidin-3-one
A one-step synthesis of azetidin-3-ones by intramolecular cyclization of 1-diazo-3-arenesulfamoylalkan-2-ones was developed. The yield of cyclic product increases to 70% in the presence of an alkyl or benzyl substituent in the hydrocarbon chain of the diazoketone. The structure of N-tosyl-2-ethylazetidin-3-one was studied by x-ray diffraction analysis and it was shown that the four-membered ring has 15‡ inflection.