Abstract: Alpha-hydroxy-epoxides of alpha-alkoxy-epoxides of the formula IV ##STR1## in which the substituents have the following meanings: R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 -cycloalkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.20 -cycloalkylalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -hydroxy-alkyl, a heterocyclic ring, or an aryl or C.sub.7 -C.sub.20 -arylalkyl group optionally substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkoxy, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -halo-alkoxy, phenyl, phenoxy, halophenyl, halophenoxy, carboxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkoxycarbonyl, or cyano, or R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 or R.sup.7 and R.sup.9 or R.sup.7 and R.sup.10 or R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 or R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 together form a (CH.sub.2).sub.n group in which n is an integer from 1 to 10 and which may be optionally substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkoxy, and/or halogen, andR.sup.12 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, or benzyl,provided that R.

Abstract: The preparation of epoxides of the general formula I ##STR1## in which the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 -cycloalkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.20 -cycloalkylalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -hydroxyalkyl, a heterocyclic ring, or an aryl or C.sub.7 -C.sub.20 -arylalkyl group optionally substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkoxy, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkoxy, phenyl, phenoxy, halophenyl, halophenoxy, carboxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkoxycarbonyl, or cyano, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 or R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 together form a (CH.sub.2).sub.n group in which n is an integer from 1 to 10 and which may be optionally substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkoxy, and/or halogen, andR.sup.6 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.