Potassium Hydroxide → N-[4-Cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2-methyloxirane-2-carboxamide

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Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

N-Methacryloyl-4-cyano-3-trifluoromethylaniline (13.8 g, 54 mmol) and ethyl acetate (40 ml) were charged in a 300 ml four-neck flask, and the mixture was heated at 50° C.–55° C. A solution of mono-perphthalic acid in ethyl acetate (108.05 g, net 19.82 g, 110 mmol) was added dropwise at a temperature in the range of 50° C.–55° C. over 3.9 hr. After stirring at the above-mentioned temperature for 4.5 hr, a solution of mono-perphthalic acid in ethyl acetate (10.36 g, net 1.90 g, 10.4 mmol) was further added dropwise over 10 min. Then the mixture was stirred for 1 hr and left standing overnight at room temperature. The mixture was adjusted to pH=8 (universal test paper) with 20% aqueous KOH solution and partitioned. The organic layer was washed with deionized water (20 ml) in which Na2S2O5 (5.0 g) had been dissolved, dried over MgSO4, decolorized with activated carbon (carborafine 0.5 g), and concentrated under reduced pressure. Toluene (60 ml) was added to the residue and the mixture was heated to 80° C. After cooling to 25° C., the mixture was filtrated to give 4-cyano-N-(2,3-epoxy-2-methylpropionyl)-3-trifluoromethylaniline (11.37 g, yield 77.3%). Purity 98.7%.

Provenance & Evidence