Ring-expanding reaction of cyclopropyl amides with triphenylphosphine and carbon tetrahalide.

We succeeded in activating cyclopropyl amides (monoactivated cyclopropane) through the corresponding imidoyl halides prepared in situ in the presence of 2 equiv of PPh3 and 1 equiv of CX4, and the ring-expanding products (N-substituted pyrrolidin-2-ones) were obtained in good yields. The reaction mechanism was investigated on the basis of oxygen-18 tracer experiment.