An epoxide is simply a tiny ring made of two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. But because the ring is forced into an unusually small triangle, it stores a surprising amount of chemical strain. Nature always seeks stability, so when the ring opens, that stored energy drives useful chemical reactions.
This simple idea has made epoxides some of the most versatile building blocks in organic chemistry. By choosing different reaction partners, chemists can transform the same epoxide into alcohols, amino alcohols, ethers, diols, and countless other compounds. A single small ring becomes the starting point for an entire family of molecules.
Global Chemical Database