Synthesis of 3,3‐dinitroazetidine from 1‐<i>t</i>‐butyl‐3,3‐dinitroazetidine

Abstract

Abstract Treatment of 1‐ t ‐butyl‐3,3‐dinitroazetidine (1) with benzyl chloroformate resulted in a novel elimination of isobutylene to yield equimolar amounts of 1‐(benzyloxycarbonyl)‐3,3‐dinitroazetidine (3) and 1‐ t ‐butyl‐3,3‐dinitroazetidine hydrochloride. The carbamate 3 was effectively cleaved by trifluoromethanesulfonic acid to yield 3,3‐dinitroazetidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate (4) . Free 3,3‐dinitroazetidine (5) has also been isolated.