Treatment of co-propargylaryl nitrones with base provided 1,2 dihydro[c]ben
zazepin-3-ones in good yields. The straightforward transformation is explai
ned on the basis of a multistep rearrangement involving conjugated allene-n
itrones as precursors of a 1,7 dipolar electrocyclization process that is f
ollowed by further bond reorganizations.