Thermolysis of a 2-alkoxy-2, 5, 5-trialkyl-A3-1, 3, 4-oxadiazoline (l), either neat or in a solvent such as benzene, leads to a carbonyl ylide intermediate which fragments to carbonyl compounds and carbenes. The latter attack the parent oxadiazoline at the azo function, presumably to form azomethine imine ylides. The latter ylides then fragment to form carbonyl compounds and azines such as R1 (R20) C= NN= C (OR2) R1, R1 (R20) C= NN= C (R3) ...