3-Cyanopyridine → (S)-3-oxiranylpyrrolidine-1-carboxylic acid t-butyl ester

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Reaction Steps

To (R)-3-vinylpyrrolidine-1-carboxylic acid t-butyl ester (6.1 g, 30.8 mmol) was added 3-pyridinecarbonitrile (320 mg, 3.1 mmol) and methyltrioxorhenium(VII) (192 mg, 769 μmol). The mixture was stirred until homogeneous. The mixture was placed in an ice water bath and 30% hydrogen peroxide (33:77, hydrogen peroxide:H2O, 4.08 mL, 40.0 mmol) was added, while keeping the temperature below 35° C. The mixture was stirred for 2 hours. Additional methyltrioxorhenium(VII) (50 mg) was added and the mixture was stirred for 2 hours. The organic layer was collected and washed with a saturated sodium metabisulfite solution (10 mL) under an ice bath. The material was then washed with saturated aqueous NaCl. The organic layer was collected, dried over Na2SO4, filtered, and concentrated. The crude product was purified by column chromatography (0-100% EtOAc in hexanes) to give (S)-3-oxiranylpyrrolidine-1-carboxylic acid t-butyl ester as a yellowish oil (4.2 g).

Provenance & Evidence