Solvent-free organic reactions on silica gel supports. Facile transformation of epoxides to β-halohydrins with lithium halides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(98)83007-X

The reaction of epoxides with lithium halides was efficiently promoted on the surface of silica gel in the absence of any solvent to give the corresponding β-halohydrins. The reactivity of lithium halides was shown to follow the order LiI > LiBr >> LiCl, and the reactivity of LiCl was dramatically increased by adding an equivalent amount of water to this system. On the other hand a similar reaction with α,β-epoxyketones produces the α-haloenone derivatives, presumably via halohydrin intermediates. The epoxide-opening reaction of (R)-(+)-styrene oxide was also investigated to clarify the stereochemical features of this reaction.