Pyridinium N-Ylides and (Arylmethylene)azol-5-ones. Reaction Cascade Leading to an Unusual Spiroisoxazolinone Ring

The reaction of a series of (arylmethylene)azol-5-ones with phenacylpyridinium salt 3 in glacial acetic acid/ammonium acetate mixture gives different results depending on the starting azolone. The isoxazol-5-ones 1 give the unusual spirans 6 in a reaction cascade involving Michael- and retro-Michael reactions, C-alkylation, aldol addition, and diastereospecific cyclization. The reaction performed with oxazol-5-ones 11 has shown that a literature report has to be corrected since no oxazolopyridines 12 but rather arylideneimidazol-5-ones 13 are produced. In the case of pyrazolin-5-ones 14, the unavoidable formation of bis-adducts 15 always prevents any other type of reaction.