NEW REACTION OF EPOXY ALDEHYDES RESULTING IN THE FORMATION OF EPOXY BETA-PROPIOLACTONES

In the presence of aluminum alkoxides the α-methyl derivatives of glycidaldehyde were shown to yield mainly epoxy β-propiolactones and, as might have been expected, the corresponding diepoxy esters formed in a Tischenko-Claisen reaction. The structure of the resulting diastereomeric epoxy derivatives of β-propiolactone was established and a correlation was found to exist between their yield and the concentration of the catalyst. Copyright © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.