oxide (CAS NO.: ), which is also known as , (epoxyethyl)-, could be produced through the following synthetic route.

To a solution of 42 g. (0.30 mole) of perbenzoic acid (p. 431) in 500 cc. of chloroform is added 30 g. (0.29 mole) of styrene (b.p. 141–143°) (p. 440). The solution is kept at 0° for twenty-four hours and is shaken frequently during the first hour. At the end of twenty-four hours, titration of an aliquot part of the solution shows that only the slight excess of perbenzoic acid remains.

The benzoic acid is removed from the chloroform solution by shaking with an excess of 10 per cent sodium hydroxide solution, the alkali is removed by washing with water, and the chloroform solution is dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate. It is then fractionated through an efficient distilling column (p. 130). Removal of the chloroform leaves a practically colorless liquid which distils at 188–192° (uncorr.). The yield is 24–26 g. (69–75 per cent of the theoretical amount).

Notice: Reactions and subsequent operations involving peracids and peroxy compounds should be run behind a safety shield. Peroxy compounds should be added to the organic material, never the reverse. For relatively fast reactions, the rate of addition of the peroxy compound should be slow enough so that it reacts rapidly and no significant unreacted excess is allowed to build up. The reaction mixture should be stirred efficiently while the peroxy compound is being added, and cooling should generally be provided since many reactions of peroxy compounds are exothermic. New or unfamiliar reactions, particularly those run at elevated temperatures, should be run first on a small scale. Reaction products should never be recovered from the final reaction mixture by distillation until all residual active oxygen compounds (including unreacted peroxy compounds) have been destroyed.