Regioselective Methylation of Epoxides Using Transition Metal Complexes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/cl.1988.219

M(PPh3)4 (M=Ni, Pd, Pt) promoted regioselective methylation of 1,2-epoxy-2-methylpropane with methyl iodide affording 2,2-dimethylpropanol.In the course of the reaction, trans-CH3MI(PPh3)2, initially formed from the reaction of M(PPh3)4 with CH3I, attacked the epoxide electrophilicly resulting regioselective cleavage of the C-O bond of the epoxide, followed by the formation of the isolable 2,2-dimethylpropoxymetal complexes.