Facile Epoxidation of Alumina-Supported Electrophilic Alkenes and Montmorillonite-Supported Electrophilic Alkenes with Sodium Hypochlorite

Abstract

Alkenes gem-substituted by two electron-withdrawing substituents, dispersed on alumina or montmorillonite, are conveniently epoxided by sodium hypochlorite. A mixture of aldehyde and methylcyanoacetate or malononitrile, treated with alumina and sodium hypochlorite gives the corresponding epoxide in good yield.