Water → 7,8-Epoxy-6-oxo-octanoic acid methyl ester

Reaction equation

C([O-])([O-])=[O:2].C([O-])([O-])=O.OO.OO.OO.[Na+].[Na+].[Na+].[Na+].[CH3:19][O:20][C:21](=[O:30])[CH2:22][CH2:23][CH2:24][CH2:25][C:26](=[O:29])[CH:27]=[CH2:28].O>CO>[CH3:19][O:20][C:21](=[O:30])[CH2:22][CH2:23][CH2:24][CH2:25][C:26](=[O:29])[CH:27]1[O:2][CH2:28]1

Participants

Procedure

39.1 g (250 mmol) of sodium percarbonate were added in four portions at room temperature, over a period of 2 hours, with stirring, to 13.9 g (82 mmol) of 6-oxo-7-octenoic acid methyl ester in 210 ml of methanol. After stirring for a further one hour at room temperature, the reaction mixture was added to 1000 ml of water and extracted several times with methylene chloride. The combined organic phases were washed with water. After drying over sodium sulfate, the solvent was distilled off using a rotary evaporator. 13.5 g (88%) of 7,8-epoxy-6-oxo-octanoic acid methyl ester were obtained.