Inter- and intramolecular [4 + 3] cycloadditions using epoxy enol silanes as functionalized oxyallyl cation...

Overview
Epoxides result from alkene oxidation, which can be achieved by a) air, b) peroxy acids, c) hypochlorous acids, and d) halohydrin cyclization.
Epoxidation with Peroxy Acids
Epoxidation of alkenes via oxidation with peroxy acids involves the conversion of a carbon–carbon double bond to an epoxide using the oxidizing agent meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid, commonly known as MCPBA. Since the O–O bond of peroxy acids is very weak, the addition of electrophilic oxygen of peroxy acids to...

Epoxides that are three-membered ring systems are more reactive than other cyclic and acyclic ethers. The high reactivity of epoxides originates from the strain present in the ring. This ring strain acts as a driving force for epoxides to undergo ring-opening reactions either with halogen acids or weak nucleophiles in the presence of mild acid. The acid catalyst converts the epoxide oxygen, a poor leaving group, into an oxonium ion, a better leaving group, making the reaction feasible. The...

Due to their highly strained structures, epoxides can readily undergo ring-opening reactions through nucleophilic substitution, either in the presence of an acid or a base. The nucleophilic substitution reactions in the presence of acid are called acid-catalyzed ring-opening reactions, and nucleophilic substitution reactions in the presence of a base are called base-catalyzed ring-opening reactions. Epoxides undergo base-catalyzed ring-opening reactions in the presence of a strong nucleophile...

Cycloadditions are one of the most valuable and effective synthesis routes to form cyclic compounds. These are concerted pericyclic reactions between two unsaturated compounds resulting in a cyclic product with two new σ bonds formed at the expense of π bonds. The [4 + 2] cycloaddition, known as the Diels–Alder reaction, is the most common. The other example is a [2 + 2] cycloaddition.

The Diels–Alder reaction is an example of a thermal pericyclic reaction between a conjugated diene and an alkene or alkyne, commonly referred to as a dienophile. The reaction involves a concerted movement of six π electrons, four from the diene and two from the dienophile, forming an unsaturated six-membered ring. As a result, these reactions are classified as [4+2] cycloadditions.

Cyclic ethers are heterocyclic compounds with an oxygen atom in the ring along with carbon atoms. They are named depending on the number of carbon atoms present in their ring system. Cyclic ethers with a three-membered ring system are called “oxirane”, four-membered ring systems as “oxetane”, five-membered ring systems as “oxolane”, and six-membered ring systems as “oxane”. The cyclic structure of these rings imposes angle strain, and this strain is more in the ring having a smaller number of...