The N-(phenacyl)-8a and N-(pivaloylmethyl)-8b derivatives of N-(benzhydryl)-(2R,3R)-cis-2,3-epoxybutyramide were prepared from sodium (2R,3R)-cis-2,3-epoxybutanoate 4. Under basic conditions they gave S(N)i reactions leading to the formation of four-, six- and seven-membered heterocycles, namely the azetidin-2-ones 9a, b (C-alkylation), the 2,3-dehydro-morpholin-5-ones 10a, b (O-alkylation), and the 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4-aza-oxepin-5-ones 12a, b (O-alkylation). The structures were confirmed by NMR analysis. Other rearrangement products, 13a and 14b, were also isolated. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Deng, B., Demillequand, M., Laurent, M., Touillaux, R., Belmans, M., Kemps, L., Cérésiat, M., & Marchand-Brynaert, J. (2000). Preparation of (3S,4S)-1-benzhydryl-3-[(5R)-1 ’-hydroxyethyl]-4-acyl-2-azetidinones from (2R,3R)-epoxybutyramide precursors. Tetrahedron, 56(20), 3209-3217. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-4020(00)00196-4 (Original work published 2000)