Magnesium monoperoxyphthalate Baeyer-Villiger reaction

Another one-step addition reaction to C=C double bonds that forms three-membered rings is the epoxidation of alkenes with percarboxylic acids (Figure 3.19). Most often, meta-chloroperbenzoic acid (MCPBA) is used for epoxidations. Magnesium monoperoxyphthalate (MMPP) has become an alternative. Imidopercarboxylic acids are used to epoxidize olefins as well. Their use (for this purpose) is mandatory when the substrate contains a ketonic C=0 double bond in addition to the C=C double bond. In compounds of this type, percarboxylic acids preferentially cause a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of the ketone (see Section 14.4.2), whereas imidopercarboxylic acids selectively effect epoxidations (for an example see Figure 14.35). 

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