The gas-phase thermal isomerization of 1,1-dimethylcyclopropane at 420 °C gives 3-methyl-1-butene and
2-methyl-2-butene. The mixture of products formed from 1,1-dimethyl-2,2-d
2-cyclopropane is consistent with
conventional rationales; neither tert-butylcarbene nor isobutylcarbene is involved as a mechanistically significant
intermediate. Both kinetic and deuterium labeling evidence suggests that heterogeneous wall-catalyzed processes
afford secondary products, including 2-methyl-1-butene.