N-Tosylaziridine, a new substrate for chemical fixation of carbon dioxide via ring expansion reaction under atmospheric pressure

N-Tosylaziridine was found to be a useful substrate for cycloaddition reaction with carbon dioxide. The reaction was successfully catalyzed by lithium bromide under atmospheric pressure to give the corresponding five-membered cyclic urethane, N-tosyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one, selectively. It was found that electron-donating nature of the substituent at 2-position of N-tosylaziridine accelerated the reaction, and this tendency allowed us to estimate the reaction mechanism.