Reaction of oxazoles. Formation of abnormal Diels–Alder adducts of 5-methoxy-4-(p-nitrophenyl)oxazoles with tetracyanoethylene, and X-ray crystal structure of one of the products

Abstract

The reaction of 2-alkyl or -aryl substituted 5-methoxy-4-(p-nitrophenyl)oxazoles (1) with tetracyanoethylene gave 2-substituted methyl 3,3,4,4-tetracyano-5-(p-nitrophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrrole-5-carboxylates (2) as formal [3 + 2] cycloadducts; these were produced via a zwitterionic mechanism involving oxazole ring opening.