Alcohols, synthesis epoxides

In 1959, Kharasch et al.43 reported an allylic oxyacylation of olefins. In the presence of f-butyl perbenzoate and a catalytic amount of copper salt in refluxing benzene, olefin was oxidized to allyl benzoate, which could then be converted to an allyl alcohol upon hydrolysis. It is desirable to introduce asymmetric induction into this allylic oxyacylation because allylic oxyacylation holds great potential for nonracemic allyl alcohol synthesis. Furthermore, this reaction can be regarded as a good supplement to other asymmetric olefinic reactions such as epoxidation and dihydroxylation. 

AUyl transfer reactions, 73, 1 Allylic alcohols, synthesis from epoxides, 29, 3 by Wittig rearrangement, 46, 2 Allylic and benzylic carbanions, heteroatom-substituted, 27, 1 Allylic hydroperoxides, in... 

The synthesis of the Y zeolite-encapsulated manganese complex of the salen ligand has been reported recently [51]. It was found to have catalytic activity in the oxidation of cyclohexene, styrene, and stilbene with PhlO. Typically, 1 Mn(salen) is present per 15 supercages, resulting in catalytic turn-overs in the order of 60. The reactions investigated with the respective product yields are given in Scheme 5. Typical oxidation products are epoxides, alcohols and aldehydes. In comparison to the homogeneous case encapsulation seems to lower the reaction rate. From cyclohexene the expected oxidation product cyclohexene oxide is present in excess and is formed on the Mn(salen) site. 2-cyclohexene-l-ol is probably formed on residual Mn cations via a radical mechanism. 

Dunach, Inesi and others also investigated the electrochemical synthesis of cyclic carbonates from C02 with epoxides, alcohols and glycols [66]. In this regard, Yang et al. [67] reported the use of pure room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) as reaction media in the electrochemical activation of C02 for the synthesis of cyclic carbonate from epoxide, under mild conditions. C02-saturated IL (BMIMBF4) solutions were also used for the electrochemical carboxylation of activated olefins [68]. Monocarboxylic acids were obtained in moderate yield (35-55%), and the IL was recycled five times. 

It is common knowledge [41,120,121] that hydroxylating enzymatic systems, cytochrome P-450 and analogs, in particular, have the prospect of a broad field of practical application. For example, they can be used in the synthesis of various medical preparations, detoxication of living organisms and development of highly selective process techniques for the production of epoxides, alcohols and ketones. 

Certain chiral epoxides can be prepared from fl-hydroxyselenides (e.g., 43), typically intermediates for allylic alcohol synthesis. The novel reactivity of these substrates seems to be restricted to those cyclic compounds in which the hydroxy and the selenoxide groups can achieve an antiperiplanar disposition [95TL5079],... 

Scheme 8.11. (a) Group-selective ring-opening of meso epoxides by nucleophiles leads to enantioselective syntheses of 1,2-difunctionalized compounds, (b) Azido alcohol synthesis from epoxides and trimethylsilyl azide as catalyzed by (salen)CrCl complexes (see Scheme 8.6a for general structures of salen catalysts)... 

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