N-Methyl-2-chloroacetoacetamide undergoes a complex reaction with dialkyl a
cetylenedicarboxylates and triphenylphosphine to produce dialkyl 2-(N-methy
l-2-chloroacetoacetamide-2-yl)-3- (triphenylphosphoranylidene)-butanedioate
s, which undergo elimination-cyclization reactions to produce N-methyl-4-ac
etyl-3 (alkoxycarbonyltriphenylphosphoranylide)-maleimides.