Peroxy acid-mediated oxidation

A peroxy acid mediated oxidative rearrangement of 2-alkoxy-3,4-dihydro-2//- pyrans affords 5-alkoxytetrahydrofuran-2-carbaldehydes (79JCS(Pi)847>. This reaction pathway was used in developing a method for the synthesis of optically active monoalkylfurans. (S)-2-Ethoxy-5-s-butyl-3,4-dihydro-2//-pyran (319), obtained through a cycloaddition reaction of (S)-2-s-butylacrolein to ethyl vinyl ether, was converted to (S)-2-s-butyl-5-ethoxytetrahydrofuran-2-carbaldehyde (320) (Scheme 85). 

The titanium-mediated photocatalytic oxidation of a pyridine solution was conducted by Low et al. (1991). They proposed that the reaction of OH radicals with pyridine was initiated by the addition of a OH radical forming the 3-hydro-3-hydroxypyridine radical followed by rapid addition of oxygen forming 2,3-dihydro-2-peroxy-3-hydroxypyridine radical. This was followed by the opening of the ring to give At-(formylimino)-2-butenal which decomposes to a dialdehyde and formamide. The dialdehyde is oxidized by OH radicals yielding carbon dioxide and water. Formamide is unstable in water and decomposes to ammonia and formic acid. Final products also included ammonium, carbonate, and nitrate ions. 

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