Metal-organic frameworks as efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the regioselective ring opening of epoxides

Amarajothi Dhakshinamoorthy1, Mercedes Alvaro, Hermenegildo Garcia

  • 1Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV and Departamento de Química, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Av. De los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.

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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...
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Overview
Epoxides result from alkene oxidation, which can be achieved by a) air, b) peroxy acids, c) hypochlorous acids, and d) halohydrin cyclization.
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