DICHLORO (5,10,15,20-TETRAPHENYLPORPHYRIN) PHOSPHORUS(V) CHLORIDE AS A NEW CATALYST FOR CONVERSION OF 1,2-EPOXYETHANES TO 2-HYDROXYETHYL THIOCYANATES WITH AMMONIUM THIOCYANATE

Abstract

A convenient and efficient procedure for the cleavage of the oxirane rings with ammonium thiocyanate in the presence of phosphorus(V)tetraphenylporphyrin is described. The ring-opening of 1,2- epoxyethanes is found to proceed regioselectively under mild reaction conditions. Thus, several 2-hydroxyethyl thiocyanates, useful intermediates toward biologically active molecules, are easily obtained in very good yields.

Keywords:

• Epoxide
• porphyrin
• thiocyanohydrine

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the support of this work by the Shiraz University Research Council and Dr. M. A. Nasseri, Dr. B. Hemmateenejad, and Dr. R. Ghavami for their helpful comments.

Notes

^a Determined by GC