The Chemistry of α‐Carbonyl Azo Compounds

α‐Carbonyl azo compounds such as diesters of azodicarboxylic acids, diacylazo compounds, and esters of arylazocarboxylic acids are highly reactive. They add e.g. to amines, aromatic compounds, olefins, CH acids, Grignard and diazo compounds, aldehydes, ketones, and ketenes. These reactions can be used for the preparation of triazanes, hydrazones, oxa‐diazoline, azomethinimine, and diazetidine derivatives, etc. α,α′‐Dicarbonyl azo compounds are among the strongest dienophiles known.