Application of Alkali Metal Hydroxides for the Preparation of gem‐Chlorophenylcyclopropanes

Abstract

gem‐Chlorophenylcyclopropanes 3 are conveniently prepared by reaction of benzal chloride (1) with alkenes 2, carried out either in the presence of solid potassium hydroxide and 18‐crown‐6 as a catalyst or cesium hydroxide monohydrate, without solvent.

Keywords:

• Cesium hydroxide
• chlorophenyl carbene
• gem‐chlorophenylcyclopropanes
• phase‐transfer catalysis
• potassium hydroxide

Acknowledgments

The financial support of this work by the Ministry of Education and Science, Warszawa, Poland (Grant No. 3 T09B 084 29) is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank Tadeusz Zdrojewski (Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry) for helpful discussions concerning the configuration of the prepared cyclopropanes.