Secondary 2-cyano-and 2-ethoxycarbonylaziridines react with acetylenic compounds and activated vinylic chlorides to give 2-cyano and 2-ethoxycarbonyl N-vinylaziridines. The nucleophile-catalysed isomerization of these compounds generally gives α, β-dehydro α- amino acid derivatives involving nucleophilic attack at C-3. Thermal isomerization, involving predominantly cleavage of the carbon-carbon bond of the ring, forms α-vinylamino esters ...
