5-[Hydroxy(aryl/alkylamino)methylene]-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones react with BF3•Et2O in mild conditions leading to the formation of boron difluoride complexes of carbamoyl Meldrum's acids. The X-ray structure has been obtained for one representative complex. The obtained new compounds are fairly stable at standard ambient conditions and easily isolable.

Recently we have observed accelerating influence of trimethyl silyl chloride addition on the rate of the reactions of 5-(α-amino- α'-hydroxy)methylene Meldrum's Acids with amines, particularly in the case of highly basic amines. However the nature of the aforementioned process remain unexplained. In proposed communication we wish to report insightful elucidation of this mechanism. The reaction under investigation involves simply...

Abstract: A one pot synthesis for preparation of 1,4-disubstituted-2-oxo-azetidine-3-carboxylic acid amides was developed. 5-(α-N-substituted-amino-α'-hydroxy)methylene Meldrum's acids act as a source of ketenes that react with aldimines in boiling toluene to give b-lactams with retro-amid side chain.