To an acetone (150 ml) solution consisting of erucamide (2 g), tetraethyl ammonium acetate (250 mg) and a 70% aqueous solution (1.3 ml) of t-BuOOH was added a 0.5% t-BuOH solution (0.5 ml) of osmium tetraoxide. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for five days. To the reaction mixture was added a 10% solution of sodium hydrogensulfite (30 ml), and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was subjected to filtration to collect crystals, then the crystals were washed with acetone, followed by drying to afford colorless crystals [728 mg (yield 33%)], m.p. 153 to 154° C.
