A novel, neutral catalytic cycle for the synthesis of epoxides from carbony1 compounds and diazo compounds using catalytic quantities of transition metal salts and sulfides has been developed. In this catalytic cycle, the diazo compound is decomposed by the transition metal salt to give a metallocarbene, and this is picked up by the sulfide to give a sulfur ylide, which then reacts with the aldehyde to give an epoxide and returns the sulfide back into the catalytic cycle. To obtain good yields of epoxides it is necessary to maintain a low concentration of the diazo compound (by slow addition), otherwise dimerisation of the diazo compound is the dominant reaction. Factors
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