Synthesis of stable derivatives of cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid.

Large-scale syntheses of 3-(cycloprop-2-en-1-oyl)oxazolidinones from acetylene and ethyl diazoacetate are described. Unlike other cyclopropenes that bear a single substitutent at C-3, these compounds are stable to long-term storage. Although the cyclopropene derivatives are unusually stable, they are reactive toward cyclic and acyclic dienes in stereoselective Diels-Alder reactions.