A novel synthetic approach to α-alkylidene-β-lactams

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)97398-2

A simple strategy for the synthesis of various α-alkylidene-β-lactams 4 based upon the condensation between lithium enolates of 3-(N,N-dialkylamino)esters and imines followed by straightforward deamination of the resulting 3-aminoalkyl-β-lactams 3 is outlined. The synthesis of α-alkylidene-β-formyl-β-lactams is a particularly significant feature of this work.