THERMOLYSIS OF ARYL AZIDOMETHYL KETONE N-METHYL-N-PHENYLSUFONYLHYDRAZONES

Thermolysis of aryl azidometyl ketone N-methyl-N-phenylsulfonylhydrazo nes gave aryl 4-aryl-2-imidazolyl ketone N-methyl-N-phenylsulfonylhydr azones and arylglyoxal bis(N-methyl-N-phenylsulfonylhydrazone)s, the f ormation of which can be interpreted in terms of the insertion of nitr ene into the a-methylene C-H bond of the original azidomethyl ketone h ydrazones and the formation of an azo intermediate from the nitrene pr ecursor, respectively. The sturctures of these products have been conf irmed by an X-ray diffraction method.