4-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one

Colorless liquid

It is used to synthesize functional polymers.

4-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one may be used in the preparation of 2-arylbenzo[d]thiazole scaffolds.
It may be used in the synthesis of the following multi-functional cyclic carbonates:

• 4,4′-((hexane-1,6-diylbis(sulfanediyl))bis-(ethane-2,1-diyl))bis(1,3-dioxolan-2-one) (Bis-CC)
• 2-ethyl-2-(((3-((2-(2-oxo-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)-ethyl)thio)propanoyl)oxy) methyl)propane-1,3-diyl bis(3-((2-(2-oxo-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)ethyl)thio)propanoate) (Tris-CC)
• 2,2-bis(((3-((2-(2-oxo-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)ethyl)-thio)propanoyl)oxy) methyl)propane-1,3-diyl bis(3-((2-(2-oxo-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)ethyl)thio)propanoate) (Tetra-CC)

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 69, p. 2955, 1947 DOI: 10.1021/ja01204a008

4-Vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one (VEC) is a cyclic carbonate, that can be synthesized from acrolein by reacting with sulfur ylide and CO₂. The ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation (TH) of VEC in the presence of 2-propanol forms 1,2-butanediol. Indolines and indoles undergo selective C-H allylation with VEC in the presence of rhodium(III) catalyst.