Transformations of enaminones. A simple one-pot synthesis of imidazolone derivatives

Ethyl (5-benzoyl-2-oxo-3-substituted-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)carbamates 7 were prepared by the Michael addition of diethyl azodicarboxylate (3) to (E)-3-(dimethylamino)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (2) followed by substitution of the dimethylamino group with primary amines 5a–n to afford a mixture of (E) and (Z) diethyl 1-(1-(substituted)amino)-3-oxo-3-phenylprop-1-en-2-yl)hydrazine-1,2-dicarboxylates (6a–n), followed by cyclization to give final products 7a–n. The intermediate 6i was isolated and characterized and transformed into 7i. All imidazolones 7a–n were synthesized in one pot reaction sequences with individual reactions being very clean.