Patent ID: 8487094

Claim:
A method of preparing an epoxide compound represented by the following structural formula: wherein: R 1 is (a) absent or (b) is selected from (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy(C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy, and (C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy(C 1 -C 3 )alkyl; E is (a) a bond or (b) (C 1 -C 3 )alkylene or (C 1 -C 2 )alkoxy, wherein the O is attached to R 2 , each of which is optionally substituted with 1 to 4 groups independently selected from methyl, ethyl, trifluoromethyl or oxo; R 2 is selected from (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl or heterocyclyl; A 1 is (a) a bond, or (b) (C 1 -C 3 )alkylene, CH 2 CH 2 O, wherein the oxygen is attached to Cy 1 ; Cy 1 is aryl, heteroaryl, monocyclic cycloalkyl or monocyclic heterocyclyl; A 2 is (a) a bond, O, S or NR 4 , wherein R 4 is (C 1 -C 3 )alkyl or (C 3 -C 6 )cycloalkyl; or (b) (C 1 -C 3 )alkylene or (C 1 -C 2 )alkoxy, each of which is optionally substituted with 1 to 4 groups independently selected from methyl, ethyl, or trifluoromethyl; Cy 2 is (a) hydrogen or (b) aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl or heterocyclyl; wherein each of the foregoing (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy(C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy(C 1 -C 3 )alkyl, cycloalkyl, monocyclic cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, monocyclic heterocyclyl, and heteroaryl unless otherwise defined is optionally substituted by a group selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxycarbonyl, benzyloxycarbonyl, hydroxy(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, cyano(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 4 )alkylamino, di(C 1 -C 4 )alkylamino, halogen, cyano, oxo, nitro, hydroxy, amino, MeSO 2 —, MeSO 2 N(Me)(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, MeSO 2 NH(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, H 2 NC(═O)CMe 2 (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, H 2 NC(═O)CHMe(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, H 2 NC(═O)CH 2 (C 1 —C 4 )alkyl, —OR, —NR 2 , —COOR, —CONR 2 , —SO k R (k is 0, 1 or 2), wherein each R is independently —H, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group or an aryl group; comprising the step of oxidizing with an epoxidation reagent a 2-methyl-3-propenyl intermediate represented by the following structural formula: thereby forming the epoxide compound.