ISOMERIZATION OF N-ARYL SUBSTITUTED DIETHYL 3-AMINOGLUTACONATES .1.

Diethyl acetonedicarboxylate 1 under acid catalysis reacts with aromat ic amines and 2-aminonitriles 2 forming N-aryl substituted diethyl 3-a minoglutaconates 3. The structures of the products 3 were studied both in the solid and the liquid state. The presence of the double bond pe rmits two isomeric forms. These E and Z isomers can interchange with o ne another under catalysis by either an acid or a base in a suitable s olvent. The isomeric equilibriums were studied by H-1 NMR spectroscopy with respect to dependence on the polarity of the solvent, the temper ature and the substitution present on the aromatic skeleton.