Epoxidising olefines - with hypdroxyisobutyrates as by-products, using hydroperoxy-isobutyrates prepd from isobutyraldehyde

摘要

Epoxy cpds. are prepd. by catalytic oxidn. of an ethylenically unsatd. hydrocarbon using a hydroperoxy isobutyrate. The latter is obtd. by first converting isobutyraldehyde to an isobutyrate by oxidn. and esterification, and then oxidising this isobutyrate. The alpha-hydroxy-isobutyrate which is obtd. together with the epoxy cpd. in the catalytic oxdn. may be converted to a methacrylate. Isobutyraldehyde, a by-prod. in the prepn. of butyraldehyde by the Oxo synthesis can be converted to useful prods.