Water → 1-(Diphenylmethyl)azetidin-3-one

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a stirred slurry of 1-(diphenylmethyl)-3-hydroxyazetidine (30 g, 0.126 mol) in triethylamine (63 g, 0.628 mol) was added a solution of sulfur trioxide pyridine complex (60 g, 0.376 mol) in anhydrous DMSO (300 ml) dropwise over 30 minutes. The resulting mixture was warmed to 50° C. for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was then cooled to ambient and poured into a mixture of water (1L) and ethyl acetate (800 ml). The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer extracted with ethyl acetate (3×200 ml). The combined organic solutions were then washed with water (3×200 ml), then saturated brine (200 ml), dried (magnesium sulfate), filtered and concentrated. The residue was purified on silica gel, eluting with 5-10% ethyl acetate/petrol. The product was obtained as a white solid (26.2 g, 86%); 1H NMR CDCl3 δ 4.07 (4H, s), 4.62 (1H, s), 7.20-7.39 (6H, m), 7.53 (4H, d).

Provenance & Evidence