Addition to alkenes the hard shit Flashcards
How can epoxides be made?
The reaction of an alkene with a peroxycarboxylic acid.
What is a common peracid (peroxycarboxylic acid) oxidising agent?
Meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid, mCPBA (look up structure too).
How to peracids add to alkenes?
In a stereospecific fashion, please look at the booklet for mechanism.
What does concerted mean?
That reactants are converted into products in a single step - the electrons move simultaneously.
Why are exoxides susceptible to nucleophilic attack?
Due to the steric strain of the 3-membered ring.
How else can diols be formed?
Concerted cycloaddition reactions with oxidising agents such as KMnO4 and OsO4. Electron configuration is retained.
What is the problem with OsO4?
It is expensive and toxic so an oxidising agent is often used to regenerate it.
