Urea → (R)-5-(Methoxymethyl)oxazolidin-2-one

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Urea (246 g, 4.09 mmol) was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (2.27 L), and thereto were added cerium fluoride (69.0 g, 0.454 mol) and (S)-4-methoxymethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one (600 g, 4.54 mol, optical purity 98.9%ee), in order. The mixture was stirred for 36 hours at 140° C. under an atmosphere of argon. After filtering off the insoluble materials, the filtrate was condensed in vacuo, and the residue was purified by distillation to give the subject (R)-5-methoxymethyloxazolidin-2-one (445 g, yield 74.7%, optical purity 98.6%ee).

Provenance & Evidence