Epoxidation phase-transfer-catalysed

Diols generally react with dichlorocarbene to produce a mixture of alkenes and chlorinated cyclopropanes or chloroalkanes, depending on the reaction conditions whereas, under phase-transfer catalysed conditions, the major products are the alkenes and epoxides produced by ring closure of the initial adduct (Scheme 7.20) [14]. When an excess of chloroform is used, further reaction of the alkenes with dichlorocarbene produces the cycloadducts. In addition to the formation of the alkene and epoxide, 1,2-dihydroxycyclooctane yields cyclooctanone, via a 1,2-hydride shift within the intermediate carbenium ion. 

Many examples of the phase-transfer catalysed epoxidation of a,(3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds using sodium hypochlorite have been reported [e.g. 7-10]. The addition of transition metal complexes also aids the reaction [11], but advantages in reaction time or yields are relatively insignificant, whereas the use of hexaethyl-guanidinium chloride, instead of a tetra-alkylammonium salt, enhances the rate of epoxidation while retaining the high yields (>95%) [10]. Intermediate (3-haloalkanols are readily converted into the oxiranes under basic conditions in the presence of benzyltriethylammonium chloride [12]. 

Effect of solvent upon the phase-transfer catalysed epoxidation of chalcones... 

Direct phase-transfer catalysed epoxidation of electron-deficient alkenes, such as chalcones, cycloalk-2-enones and benzoquinones with hydrogen peroxide or r-butyl peroxide under basic conditions (Section 10.7) has been extended by the use of quininium and quinidinium catalysts to produce optically active oxiranes [1 — 16] the alkaloid bases are less efficient than their salts as catalysts [e.g. 8]. In addition to N-benzylquininium chloride, the binaphthyl ephedrinium salt (16 in Scheme 12.5) and the bis-cinchonidinium system (Scheme 12.12) have been used [12, 17]. Generally, the more rigid quininium systems are more effective than the ephedrinium salts. 

Alternative sulphur reagents that may be used to cause epoxidation are the N -(p-tolylsulphonyl)sulphilimines (44 X = H) they are produced (by a phase-transfer-catalysed process) from the trihydrate of Chloramine-T (the sodium salt of N-chlorotoluene-p-sulphonamide) with a solution of PhSCH2R in CH2Cl2. The lithiated materials (44 X = Li, R = H) or (44 X = Li, R = Ph) react with PhCHO to give quantitative yields of styrene and stilbene respectively. 

Phase transfer reactions have featured in several sections of this book, including epoxidation (Section 4.5), Darzens condensation (Section 7.5) and Wadsworth-Emmons reactions (Section 12.5). Another important aspect of phase-transfer catalysed reactions has been with alkylation reactions. The asymmetric alkylation of glycinate Schiff base (12.45) using N-benzylcinchoninium halides as catalysts is particularly noteworthy, since the products are readily converted into amino acids. Corey and coworkers have developed the original work. 

Michael-aldol reaction as an alternative to the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction 14 recent results in conjugate addition of nitroalkanes to electron-poor alkenes 15 asymmetric cyclopropanation of chiral (l-phosphoryl)vinyl sulfoxides 16 synthetic methodology using tertiary phosphines as nucleophilic catalysts in combination with allenoates or 2-alkynoates 17 recent advances in the transition metal-catalysed asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketones, imines, and electrophilic C=C bonds 18 Michael additions catalysed by transition metals and lanthanide species 19 recent progress in asymmetric organocatalysis, including the aldol reaction, Mannich reaction, Michael addition, cycloadditions, allylation, epoxidation, and phase-transfer catalysis 20 and nucleophilic phosphine organocatalysis.21... 

Two different epoxidation reactions have been studied using chiral phase transfer catalysts. The salts 22 and 23 have been used to catalyse the nucleophilic epoxidation of enones (e.g. 24) to give either enantiomer of epoxides such as 25 (Scheme 9) [17]. Once again, the large 9-anthracenylmethyl substituent is thought to have a profound effect on the enantio selectivity of the process. A similar process has been exploited by Taylor in his approach to the Manumycin antibiotics (e.g. Manumycin C, 26) [18]. Nucleophilic epoxidation of the quinone derivative 27 with tert-butyl hydroperoxide anion, mediated by the cinchonidinium salt la, gave the tx,/ -epoxy ketone 28 in >99.5% ee (Scheme 10). 

The enantio-determining step of nucleophilic additions to a-bromo-a,y -unsaturated ketones is mechanistically similar to those of nucleophilic epoxidations of enones, and asymmetry has also been induced in these processes using chiral phase-transfer catalysts [20]. The addition of the enolate of benzyl a-cyanoacetate to the enone 31, catalysed by the chiral ammonium salt 32, was highly diastereoselective and gave the cyclopropane 33 in 83% ee (Scheme 12). Good enantiomeric excesses have also been observed in reactions involving the anions of nitromethane and an a-cyanosulfone [20]. 

The standard conditions employed in epoxidation reactions catalysed by iminium salts involve the use of Oxone as stoichiometric oxidant, a base (2 mol equiv of Na2CO3 per equivalent of Oxone) and water/acetonitrile as solvent mixture (Scheme 5.21) the presence of water is essential for Oxone solubility. Under the reaction conditions, there are separate aqueous and organic phases it is possible that the catalyst acts as a phase transfer agent in these reactions. 

Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of alkyl- and aryl-substituted C -C, cycloalkanones, steroid ketones and branched chain aliphatic ketones is catalysed by arsonated polystyrene resins [53], Larger size cycloalkanones and linear ketones react much slower. Water miscible and immiscible solvents can be used. With the latter, the resin behaves as an effective catalyst and a phase-transfer agent (triphase catalysis). The same compounds are also epoxidation catalysts. More recently, a method for the preparation of phenols by the oxidation of aromatic aldehydes and ketones has been reported. The most convenient catalysts are nitro-substituted arylseleninic acids and corresponding diselenides [54]. 

Epoxy alcohols are the normal products of the [VO(acac)2]+(Me2C(CN)N a -catalysed oxidation of cyclic olefins by dioxygen however, cyclo-octene is oxidized exclusively to cyclo-octene oxide. The oxidation of sulphides and alkenes by peroxides with a [V(0)(acac)2] catalyst have been compared and the nature of the monoperoxovanadium(v) intermediate investigated. Complexation of a Cr(CO)3 unit to aromatic hydrocarbons enhances the benzylic positions towards attack by superoxide ion, e.g., diphenylmethane is readily converted into benzophenone. Metal porphyrin complexes ML4 continue to attract attention both as reversible oxygen-carriers (M = Fe) and oxidation catalysts (M = Mn, Fe, or Co ). For example [Mn (=0 IPh)(TPP)Cl] is believed to be involved in the oxidation of cyclohexene to cyclohexanol by PhIO in the presence of [Mn(TPP)]+ and a ferryl intermediate [Fe (0)L4] has been proposed in the oxygenation of triphenylphosphine with iron(ii) porphyrin. [M(TPP)]X (M=Mn, X = OAc M=Fe, X=C1 M = Co, X=Br) catalyses the epoxidation of styrene and cyclohexene with NaOCl under phase-transfer conditions. ... 

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