One - pot Reformatsky-Imine addition reaction-leading to the synthesis of structurally diverse β-lactams

Abstract

The Reformatsky-imine addition reaction of ⍺-bromoethylacetate with aldimines derived from 3,4-methylenedioxy benzaldehyde and ⍺-methylcinnamaldehyde has provided an efficient and practical access to structurally diverse β-lactams. All the new β-lactams have been identified as 1,4-diaryl-2-azetidinones through their detailed spectral studies. Further it also reveals that the styryl bond of ⍺-methylcinnamylideneanilines does not participate in the reaction and gives β-lactams contrary to their analogues cinnamylideneanilines15 and o-nitrocinnamylideneanilines16 which gave δ-lactams.