3-Phenylprop-2-En-1-Ol → ((2R,3R)-3-phenyloxiran-2-yl)methanol

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of diisopropyl D-tartrate (6 mL, 28 mmol) in methylene chloride (800 mL) at −10° C. under nitrogen was added 4A molecular sieves (15 g), titanium isopropoxide (5.9 mL, 20 mmol), and cinnamyl alcohol (27 g, 200 mmol). The mixture was allowed to age for 40 minutes at −10° C., after which time it was cooled to −20° C., and treated in a dropwise fashion with a solution of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP, ˜450 mmol) in isooctane. After 18 hours at −30 to -15° C., the reaction mixture was treated with a 30% aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide (5 mL) and diethyl ether (100 mL). The cold bath was removed and the mixture was allowed to warm to ˜10° C. Magnesium sulfate (anhydrous, 15 g) was added and the mixture was stirred for 20 minutes. After the solids settled, the solution was filtered through a pad of silica gel, and washed with ether (50 mL). The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo and toluene was added to azeotropically remove the unreacted TBHP. The residue was then purified using a silica gel column (hexane:ethyl acetate/3:1) and the purified product was crystallized from hexane/ethyl acetate to yield [(2R,3R)-3-phenyloxiran-2-yl]methanol as white crystal (18 g, 60%, 98.2% ee). MS (ESI) m/z 151.

Provenance & Evidence