Epoxides do have ring strain, but they can still form. The nucleophile (alkoxide) is in close proximity to the electrophile so ring formation is quite fast.

I did – it’s here. https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2013/04/02/alkene-addition-pattern-3-the-concerted-pathway/ Epoxidation of aliphatic alkenes is “syn” addition ; both new C-O bonds are formed on the same face of the alkene. This is true regardless of whether you have a cis or trans alkene.

Fixed, finally. Thanks!

Hi my genius namesake! Just a small note, you didn’t fix that typo (“epoxide” instead of “alkene”) in the Epoxide Synthesis (1) diagram.

For acid-base reactions to be *irreversible* there needs to be a pKa difference of 10.

For ROH and NaOH you’ll have an equilibrium where the two species are about equal in concentration. However once you form RO- it’s a fast reaction to form the epoxide, and that spits out Br- . Eventually you’ll end up with the final product.

Ah yes. Thanks for the spot. Fixed!

You say:

“Treating an epoxide with a “peroxyacid” (that’s a carboxylic acid containing an extra oxygen) leads to direct formation of an epoxide.”

when it should be:

“Treating an alkene with a “peroxyacid” (that’s a carboxylic acid containing an extra oxygen) leads to direct formation of an epoxide.”