Question

What do epoxides do?

Answer 1

Just to retire this question....

Explanation:

See this old answer. Epoxides are a good general way of lengthening a carbon chain by 2 carbons, by reaction with a lithium reagent or a Grignard.....

`underbrace(C_2H_4O)_"the epoxide" +R^(-)Li^(+) rarr underbrace(RCH_2CH_2O^(-)Li^+)_"the alkoxide"`

The carbon chain has been extended by two carbons, and as a bonus the end carbon is functionalized so that we can do further stuff.