Methyltrioxorhenium-catalyzed epoxidation of homoallylic alcohols with hydrogen peroxide.

Homoallylic alcohols were efficiently converted to the corresponding 3,4-epoxy alcohols in excellent yields by methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)-catalyzed epoxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide as the terminal oxidant and 3-methylpyrazole (10 mol %) as an additive. The epoxidations of homoallylic alcohols proceeded under organic solvent-free conditions faster than those in dichloromethane.