Actually i think i answered my own question. On Rhodium's page there is something on this method and in reading it i noticed that the people who were doing the research indicated that you could use DMSO. There wern't any examples using DMSO in the writeup but i believe that it will work.
One other question which has been bothering me:
Why do they use the LiI and ethyl acetate to rearrange the epoxide instead of just using the standard 15% H2SO4 reflux like in the peracid synths?? I thought that the epoxide would rearrange into the diol and then to the ketone in the acid reflux.
Wouldn't it be much easier to just use the acid reflux then messing with LiI and ethyl acetate?
If the epoxide could be changed to the ketone with simple H2SO4, this synth would be made much more otc.
This one might just be a winner!
--improv
--Preventing odors from escaping to nearby noses is essential.....