Synthèse électrochimique du cycle époxydique. Communication préliminaire

The polarographic behaviour of ditosyloxy alkanes TsO(CH₂)_nOTs in aprotic medium suggests that intramolecular cyclisation takes place after reductive cleavage of a single SO₂? O bond at the dropping electrode. This hypothesis was verified by controlled potential electrolysis of the lower homologues at a mercury cathode. High yields of epoxy compounds are obtained by this method.