Hydrogen Peroxide → 2,3-Epoxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone

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Reaction Steps

Menadione crystalline (1) (5 g, 29.04 mmol, 1 equivalent) and 2 M NaOH (7.26 mL, 14.52 mmol, 0.5 equivalents) are dissolved in a mixture of methanol/water 4:1 (50 mL) at 0-2° C. After stirring at this temperature for 10 minutes, 35% hydrogen peroxide is added (4.2 mL, 43.56 mmol, 1.5 equivalents). Work-up: after 30 minutes at 0° C. the product is extracted with ethyl ether. The organic phase is dried over Na2SO4 and evaporated under reduced pressure. A whitish powder is obtained (5 g, 26.57 mmol). Yield: 91.5%.

Provenance & Evidence