Synthesis and transformations of alkyl N-(1-cyclohex-3-enyl)carbamates prepared from cyclohex-3-ene carboxylic acid via Curtius rearrangement

The Curtius rearrangement of cyclohex-3-ene carboxylic acid using diphenylphosphoryl azide in the presence of triethylamime and ethanol, t-butanol or benzyl alcohol has been described. As a result the synthesis of ethyl, t-butyl or benzyl N-(1-cyclohex-3-enyl)carbamates has been achieved in one pot, in good chemical yield. A series of transformations of benzyl N-(1-cyclohex-3-enyl)carbamate, such as iodination and epoxidation, as well as opening of the corresponding ring epoxide, have been carried out leading to some useful oxygenated cyclohexylamimo building blocks. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.