The Payne Rearrangement

Epoxy alcohols undergo reversible intramolecular epoxide opening reactions known as the Payne rearrangement. The following diagram illustrates three such reactions, and a general mechanism is written in the gray-shaded box. The equilibrium usually favors the more highly substituted epoxide moiety. As expected for an S_N2, process, these transformations are stereospecific. Although such equilibria may not always lie in the desired direction, subsequent reaction may divert one of the components to a useful product. An example will be shown by clicking on the diagram. Even though the terminal epoxide is a minor component of the Payne equilibrium, its kinetic advantage in the ring opening step determines the final product. The course of reaction in the absence of the Payne rearrangement is displayed in the gray-shaded box.