When N-(1, 2-diacetoxyethyl)-phthalimide was pyrolyzed under high temperatures, it was found that the dehydroacetoxylation proceeded in a highly selective manner to give N-(2-acetoxyvinyl)-phthalimide.
Pyrolysis of N-(1-acetoxy-2-bromoethyl)-phthalimide at 537±3 produced N-(2-bromoviny1)-phthalimide.