Epoxide compounds ofβ,β-dialkyl divinyl ketones and unsaturatedβ-methoxy ketones

By the epoxidation with alkaline hydrogen peroxide of 5-methylhepta-1,4-dien-3-one and 5-ethylhepta-1, 4-dien-3-one and the 3-methyl-7-methoxyhept-3-en-5-one and 3-ethyl-7-methoxyhept-3-en-5-one formed from them, we have obtained the mono- and diepoxy ketones corresponding to them with yields of 48–65%. It has been shown that under the influence of zinc chloride 4, 5-epoxy-3-methyl-7-methoxyheptan-5-one forms 3-methyl-7-methoxyheptane-4,5-dione and 3-methylhept-1-ene-3,4-dione. Under the same conditions, 4,5-epoxy-3-ethyl-7-methoxyheptan-5-one is converted into 3-ethyl-7-methoxyheptane-4,5-dione and 3-ethylhept-1-ene-3, 4-dione. 3-Methyl- and 3-ethylheptene-3,4-diones are also formed in the distillation of the methyl and ethyl methoxy diketones in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid. The IR spectra of the compounds synthesized have been recorded.