CHEMISTRY OF DIOXIRANES .21. THERMAL-REACTIONS OF DIOXIRANES

Thermolysis of dioxiranes in solutions of their parent ketones or in mixtures of the parent ketone and a foreign ketone leads to the formation of esters. The results are explained by postulating a free-radical mechanism involving H atom abstraction from the ketones. The resulting radicals are converted to the observed esters by reaction with acyloxy radicals derived from homolysis of the dioxiranes. Autodecomposition of dimethyldioxirane in acetone solution at room temperature gives methyl acetate at a very slow rate. When catalyzed by BF3 etherate the same decomposition proceeds much more rapidly and is accompanied by acetol formation.