Radical Addition of 2-Iodoalkanamide or 2-Iodoalkanoic Acid to Alkenes with a Water-Soluble Radical Initiator in Aqueous Media: Facile Synthesis of γ -Lactones

Radical reactions in water or aqueous ethanol using a water-soluble radical initiator are described. Heating a mixture of 2-iodoacetamide and 5-hexen-1-ol in water at 75 °C in the presence of a water-soluble radical initiator, 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid), afforded 5-(4-hydroxybutyl)dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one in 95% yield. The use of 2-iodoacetic acid in place of 2-iodoacetamide also gave the same γ-lactone in 93% yield. The reaction of 2-iodoacetamide with 1-octene in aqueous ethanol was initiated by 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropanamidine) dihydrochloride to provide γ-decanolactone. Employing water as a solvent is crucial to obtain lactone in satisfactory yield.