A continuous protocol for the epoxidation of olefins, monocyclic terpenes, and Alpha Beta Unsaturated Carbonyl Synthons using eco-friendly Flow Reactor Conditions

Abstract

Herein, we report a simple synthetic protocol for selective epoxidation of olefins, monocyclic terpenes, and chalcones using a continuous semi-batch process in good to excellent yields. Mainly, industrial semi-batch epoxidation is an extremely risky process that includes very high safety measures to avoid the accumulation of peroxide species in the reactor during the process, which leads to accidents. To avoid the same, we have established a constant flow reactor protocol for the epoxidation of fore mentioned key synthons using a cyanamide-potassium carbonate catalytic system which helps to reduce the accumulation of the peroxide species, and also yields moderate to high yields of the desired products. The developed methodology was successfully utilized for the epoxidation of a range of aliphatic to aromatic olefins to generate corresponding epoxides. All the products and their structures were examined using 1HNMR, and 13NMR spectroscopy. More importantly, this proposed protocol is recyclable and reproducible where in using similar research conditions.

Keywords

• Epoxidation
• Flow chemistry
• Plate reactor
• Epoxy carbonyls
• Olefins