One-pot regioselective synthesis of nitrophenyloxazolinyl styrene oxides by the Darzens reaction of vicarious nucleophilic substitution-formed carbanions of 2-dichloromethyl-4,4-dimethyloxazoline

The vicarious nucleophilic substitution reaction of dichloromethyloxazoline 2 with nitrobenzene has been investigated. Treatment of 2 with t-BuOK followed by the addition of nitrobenzene leads to benzylic carbanions 4 or 9 depending upon the solvent used (DMSO, DMF, or THF). Subsequent treatment of 4 or 9 with aldehydes, in a Darzens-like reaction, furnishes very good yields of nitrophenyl oxazolinyloxiranes 8 and 11. 1,2-Dioxazolinyl-1,2-dinitrophenylethene 7 forms quantitatively when carbanion 4 is allowed to warm to room temperature in the absence of external electrophiles.