The alkali metal reduction of 2, 7-dimethyloxepin and 3-benzoxepin was investigated for comparison with 2-methoxyazocines which undergo ready conversion to azocinyl dianions. In agreement with MO theory, these oxepins do not give rise to oxepinyl dianions. 2, 7- Dimethyloxepin was found to give initially octa-4, 6-dien-2-one which with excess potassium was further reduced to 4-octen-2-one. Under analogous conditions, 3-benzoxepin ...
