An efficient, three step synthesis of optically pure N-vinyl-2-azetidinones 1 starting from α- or β-amino ester imines has been developed. Staudinger reaction between amino ester derived imines and ketene precursors gave 2-azetidinones 2. Enolate formation on the amino ester moiety of the optically pure 2-azetidinones 2, selenylation and, finally, MCPBA treatment afforded N-vinyl-2-azetidinones 1 in good to excellent yields, with total retention of the stereochemistry of the starting material. Compounds 2 bear the functionality needed to place a carboxy group contiguous to the lactam nitrogen, a structural feature common to all the active β-lactam antibiotics.
                                    从 δ- 或 δ²- 
氨基酯
亚胺开始,开发出了一种高效的三步合成光学纯 N-
乙烯基-
2-氮杂环丁酮 1 的方法。由
氨基酯衍生的
亚胺和烯酮前体发生施陶丁格反应,得到 
2-氮杂环丁酮 2。在光学纯度较高的 
2-氮杂环丁酮 2 的
氨基酯分子上形成烯酸盐,然后进行
硒化,最后经 MCPBA 处理,得到 N-
乙烯基-
2-氮杂环丁酮 1,收率从良好到极佳,并完全保留了起始原料的立体
化学结构。化合物 2 具有将羧基与内酰胺氮相连所需的官能度,这是所有活性 δ-内酰胺类抗生素共有的结构特征。