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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Synthesis of pH Dependent Pyrazole, Imidazole, and Isoindolone Dipyrrinone Fluorophores using a Claisen-Schmidt Condensation Approach
Published on: June 10, 2021
Schmidt Reaction of Hydroxyalkyl Azides with Acyclic Ketones
Xindi Zhang1, Ryan P Sherrier2, Jeffrey Aubé1,2
1Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.
None:
The Schmidt reaction of hydroxyalkyl azides with acyclic ketones has been investigated. Specifically, we show that this reaction consistently generates an ester product via hydrolysis of an intermediate iminium ether. This is in contrast to most cyclic ketones, which provide lactams. Moreover, the addition of nucleophiles to the intermediate affords amide products through a mechanistically distinct pathway. Studies related to the reaction scope, regioselectivity, and mechanism are also reported.
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