Patent ID: 8383834

Claim:
A process for preparing a lactone according to formula I, II, or III: wherein R 1 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and R 2 is H or CH 3 , the process comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a bicyclic compound according to formula (V) or a monocyclic compound according to formula (VI) wherein R 1 and R 2 are as defined above, with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a first acid having a pK a of 3 or less and a first organic solvent containing less than 5 wt % of water, calculated on the total weight of the first organic solvent, under conditions sufficient to form an intermediate composition comprising a hydroperoxide according to formula (IV) wherein R 1 and R 2 are as defined above; and (b) metering the intermediate composition comprising the hydroperoxide to a mixture of a second organic solvent and a catalytic amount of a dissociation-enhancing catalyst under conditions sufficient to form said lactone, where said dissociation-enhancing catalyst comprises a salt or complex of a metal ion selected from the group consisting of copper, iron, cobalt, and manganese, and said intermediate composition is the reaction product of step (a) without isolating said hydroperoxide of formula (IV).