Radical reactions in organic synthesis

The 4-substituted glutarimide required for the synthesis of sesbanimide (53) was obtained by free radical addition of iodoacetamide onto the $ alpha, beta$-unsaturated ester (81) mediated by tributyltin; the lactol ring C was prepared by the analogous free radical cyclization of the $ alpha$-bromo-dipropargyl ketal 73.The syntheses of tricyclic carbapenems involved appropriately substituted monocyclic azetidinone precursors. Free radical 5- exo cyclizations led to the relatively unstable benzo carbapenems 116, 119 and 120. The 6- exo mode, however, afforded stable benzo carbacephems 125, 127, 132 and 133.$ alpha$-Bromo- and $ alpha{,} alpha$-dibromoazetidinones were converted stereoselectively to the $ alpha$-alkylazetidinones 149 and 153, or to $ beta$-alkylazetidinones 151, 154 and 159 by a free radical addition onto olefins 148 or allyltributyltin