Dimethyl Sulfide → 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methylpropan-2-yl]oxirane

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 59.2 g (0.47 mol) of dimethyl sulphate and 32 g (0.517 mol) of dimethyl sulphide in 270 ml of acetonitrile is stirred for 5 days at room temperature. A solution of 81.5 g (0.2655 mol) of 4-chlorophenyl 4-chlorophenyl-tert.-butyl ketone in 80 ml of acetonitrile is then added dropwise at 20° to 25° C., in the course of approx. 2 hours 28.7 g (0.53 mol) of sodium methylate are added at the same temperature. The total reaction mixture is stirred for 12 hours and thereafter concentrated in vacuo. The residue is stirred overnight with a mixture of 200 ml of ethyl acetate and 150 ml of water. The organic phase is separated off, dried over sodium sulphate and concentrated in vacuo. 72.6 g (85.2% of theory) of crude 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-chlorophenyl-tert.-butyl)-oxirane are obtained and this compound is directly reacted further. ##STR155## 85 g (0.466 mol) of 4-chlorophenyl isopropyl ketone, 31.3 g (0.56 mol) of potassium hydroxide and 5 g of tetrabutylammonium bromide in 120 ml of toluene are heated to the reflux temperature, and a solution of 75 g (0.466 mol) of 4-chlorobenzyl chloride in 60 ml of toluene is added dropwise. The reaction mixture is stirred under reflux for a further 12 hours, cooled, and washed with water, and the organic phase is dried over sodium sulphate and concentrated in vacuo. 81.5 g (60% of theory) of 4-chlorophenyl 4-chlorophenyl-tert.-butyl ketone of refractive index nD20 =1,5711 are obtained.

Provenance & Evidence