trans- oxide (CAS NO.: ), which is also known as Oxirane, 2,3-diphenyl-, trans, could be produced through the following synthetic routes.

A. Dimethyldioxirane (CAS NO.: )(See Figure 1). A 2-L, three-necked, round-bottomed flask containing a mixture of water (80 mL), acetone (50 mL, 0.68 mol), and sodium bicarbonate (96 g), is equipped with a magnetic stirring bar and a pressure equalizing addition funnel containing water (60 mL) and acetone (60 mL, 0.82 mol). A solid addition flask containing Oxone (180 g, 0.29 mol) is attached to the reaction vessel via a rubber tube. An air condenser (20 cm length) loosely packed with glass wool is attached to the reaction vessel. The outlet of the air condenser is connected to a 75 × 350-mm Dewar condenser filled with dry ice-acetone that is connected to a receiving flask (100 mL) cooled in a dry ice-acetone bath. The receiving flask is also connected in series to a second dry ice-acetone cold trap, a trap containing a potassium iodide solution, and a drying tube. A gas inlet tube is connected to the reaction flask and a stream of nitrogen gas is bubbled through the reaction mixture. The Oxone is added in portions (10–15 g) while the acetone-water mixture is simultaneously added dropwise. The reaction mixture is stirred vigorously throughout the addition of reagents (ca. 30 min). A yellow solution of dimethyldioxirane in acetone collects in the receiving flask. Vigorous stirring is continued for an additional 15 min while a slight vacuum (ca. 30 mm, water aspirator) is applied to the cold trap. The yellow dioxirane solution (62–76 mL) is dried over sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄), filtered and stored in the freezer (-25°C) over Na₂SO₄. The dioxirane content of the solution is assayed using phenyl methyl sulfide and the GLC method. Generally concentrations in the range of 0.07–0.09 M are obtained.

B. oxide. To a magnetically stirred solution of trans-stilbene (0.724 g, 4.02 mmol) in 5 mL of acetone is added a solution of 0.062 M dimethyldioxirane in acetone (66 mL, 4.09 mmol) at room temperature. The progress of the reaction is followed by GLC, which analysis indicates that trans-stilbene is converted to the oxide in 6 hr. Removal of solvent on a rotary evaporator gives a white crystalline solid. The solid is dissolved in dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂) (30 mL) and dried with anhydrous Na₂SO₄. The drying agent is filtered off and washed with CH₂Cl₂. The solvent is removed on a rotary evaporator. Remaining solvent is removed under reduced pressure to give an analytically pure sample of the oxide (0.788 g, 100% yield). Recrystallization from aqueous ethanol gives white plates/prisms, mp 69–70°C .

Notice: Dimethyldioxirane is a volatile peroxide and should be treated as such. The preparation and all reactions of the dioxirane should be carried out in a hood.