The object of this research was to prepare first the simplest homologue of the epoxy-ketone considered by Russell to have been his product. If this homologue, 4-benzoyl-4-methyl-1,2-epoxypentane, could be prepared and caused to form a cyclic derivative of the type given by 1,4-diketones with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone, the organic chemist would be given a new approach to substituted 1,2-diazines as well as a previously unreported reaction of the epoxide grouping. If this reaction could be made to occur, other epoxides of this series would be prepared and treated in the same manner.
It was decided that the shortest route to 4-benzoyl-4-methyl-1,2-epoxypentane would be the direct condensation of epichlorohydrin with isobutyrophenone.
There was also the possibility of condensing isobutyrophenone with allyl halides to produce 4-benzoyl-4-methyl-1-pentene. This could then be converted to the halohydrin followed by treatment with base to form the epoxide, or it could be treated with a peracid to form the epoxide directly --Introduction, pages 2-3
