A new hypervalent iodine(iii/v) oxidant and its application to the synthesis of 2-azirines.

The reaction of -nitroiodobenzene and CPBA in acetic acid was found to afford a novel hypervalent iodine compound, in the structure of which both iodine(iii) and iodine(v) moieties coexist. The nitro groups at the phenyl positions were found to be crucial in stabilizing this uncommon structure. This novel hypervalent iodine(iii/v) oxidant is proved to be effective in realizing the synthesis of 2-unsubstitued 2-azirines intramolecular oxidative azirination, which could not be efficiently achieved by the existing known hypervalent iodine reagents.