Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

mCPBA (meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid): A peracid derived from meta-chlorobenzoic acid. An oxidant; converts an alkene to an epoxide, and a thioether to a sulfoxide, and then to a sulfone.


Molecular structure of mCBPA


In this epoxidation reaction, mCPBA oxidizes cyclohexene to the corresponding epoxide. This oxidation reduces mCPBA to meta-chlorobenzoic acid.


  mCPBA oxidizes dimethyl sulfide to dimethylsulfoxide, and then to dimethylsulfone.