Enamines and iminium salts from amido-acids

Distillation of ω-carboxyalkyl lactams from soda-lime leads to the formation of bicyclic enamines or imines with concomitant loss of carbon dioxide and water. Monoamides of dicarboxylic acids afford cyclic ketones. A mechanistic rationale is presented and it is concluded that the reaction is a variant of the classical Ruzicka cyclization of dicarboxylic acids. The method allows the regiospecific formation of iminium salts of bicyclic nitrogen heterocycles.