Ultrasound-assisted rapid synthesis of β-cyanoepoxides using hypervalent iodine reagents

Abstract

An elegant approach for the rapid synthesis of β-cyanoepoxides 3 by the epoxidation of β-cyanostyrenes 1 with PIDA 2a is described. The epoxidation of β-cyanostyrenes 1 was performed with 1.2 equiv. of PIDA 2a in MeCN-H₂O (1:1) at room temperature in ultrasonic bath. The epoxidation reactions were completed in short reaction time and β-cyanoepoxides 3 were isolated in 69–94% yields.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Acetonitrile
• β-cyanostyrenes
• β-cyanoepoxides
• epoxidation reaction
• PIDA

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to SAIF department, VIT Vellore for spectroscopic analysis of synthesized compounds.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support by the DST New Delhi [Grant No.: SB/FT/CS-068/2014] is gratefully acknowledged.