A novel method was developed for the selective oxidation of α-monosubstituted
malononitrile and cyanoacetic ester derivatives at the α-position
based on transition-metal-catalyzed reaction (Cu, Fe, Mn, Co) with tert-butyl hydroperoxide giving unsymmetrical
peroxides in 63-94% yields. The method is facile,
does not require large excesses of reagents, and is amenable to
gram-scale synthesis.
peroxides -
tert-butyl hydroperoxide - catalysis - oxidation - transition metals - malononitrile - cyanoacetic ester