The synthesis of (2-hydroxy-3-methoxycyclohexyl)propan-2-one from cyclohexene

Abstract

The object of this work was to prepare (2-(or 3-)-Hydroxy-3-(or 2-) methoxycyclohexyl) propan-2-one of defined structure and stereochemistry. To this end it was hoped to obtain the two isomeric (2,3-Epoxycyclohexyl) propan-2-ones which would be expected to react with methanol in the presence of sodium methoxide to give hydroxy methoxy ketones whose structure could be deduced by well established lines of reasoning.