Rearrangement of benzylidenecarbene formed by pyrolysis of the benzylidene derivative of meldrum's acid at 560°
Abstract
Flash-vacuum pyrolysis of the benzylidene compound (2) gives acetone and phenylacetylene (98%); 13C labelling shows that the presumed intermediate benzylidenecarbene (3) appears to undergo 75% of hydrogen migration and 25% of phenyl migration at 560°.