spiranic β-lactams which undergo CN bond cleavage during chromatography on alumina giving cycloalkenones functionalized at position 3. This new rearrangement has been applied to the synthesis of α-amino-β,γ-unsaturated amides in one step and gives convenient yields.
Several 2-alkyl-3-amino-2-cyclopenten-1-ones are prepared in 45-92 % yield from 2-alkyl-1,3-cyclopentanediones and a slight excess of an equimolar mixture of various primary and secondary amines and acetic or propionic acid in boiling toluene.