Diastereoselective Weitz-Scheffer epoxidation of levoglucosenone for the synthesis of isolevoglucosenone and derivatives

High-yielding epoxidation conditions for the cellulose pyrolysis product (−)-levoglucosenone (LGO) and 3-aryl derivatives of LGO have been developed. The reaction of LGO with hydrogen peroxide/base is known to give a Baeyer-Villiger reaction, however, it was found that the reactions of LGO or derivatives with tert-butylhydroperoxide/base affords solely epoxides through the Weitz-Scheffer reaction. A critical parameter in the successful isolation of the epoxide from LGO was to avoid all contact with water or alcohols during the reaction and workup. The epoxide products were reacted under Wharton conditions affording allylic alcohols and subsequent oxidation led to isolevoglucosenone or 3-arylisolevoglucosenone derivatives. Previously unreported reactions on isolevoglucosenone were then investigated.