Vinyl Ethers Containing an Epoxy Group: XXII. Synthesis and Base-Catalyzed Transformations of 1-(Allyloxy)- and 1-[2-(Vinyloxy)ethoxy]-3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols

Reactions of 2-(allyloxymethyl)- and 2-2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]methyloxiranes with 2-propynol (～3 wt % of t-BuOK, 75–85°C, 5–10 h) lead to formation of new 1-organyloxy-3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols (yield 65–95%). On heating to 45–100°C in the presence of bases (KOH, t-BuOK), 1-allyloxy- and 1-2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]-3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols are transformed into the corresponding 2-vinyl-1,3-dioxolane, 6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxine, 6-methylene-1,4-dioxane, and 2,3-dihydro-5H-1,4-dioxepine derivatives, whose yield and ratio strongly depend on the solvent nature, catalyst, and substituent at the hydroxy group. 2-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolane and 6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxine derivatives are formed as the major products (yield 70–99%) in the presence of t-BuOK in aprotic media (toluene, THF, DMSO) or in the absence of a solvent as a result of prototropic isomerization followed by intramolecular heterocyclization. Intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization of 3-(2-propynyloxy)propan-2-ols to 6-methylene-1,4-dioxane is the predominant process in water in the presence of KOH. In all cases, the fraction of 2,3-dihydro-5H-1,4-dioxepine derivatives among the cyclization products ranges from 0 to 5% (KOH) or to 14% (t-BuOK).