Oxidation of Alcohols by [Cp*Rh(ppy)(OH)]+

Summary.  Rh(III) polypyridine complexes ([Cp ^*Rh(ppy)(H₂O)]²⁺; ppy = 2,2′-bipyridine, 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylate, o-phenanthroline, tetrahydro-4,4′-dialkyl-bis-oxazole) oxidize in organic or aqueous alkaline solution primary and secondary alcohols to aldehydes or ketones and are thereby reduced to the Rh(I) complexes Cp ^*Rh(ppy). The Rh(III) form can be regenerated byoxidants like pyruvate or oxygen, making the reaction quasi-catalytic. The reaction follows anautocatalytic pathway; hydrogen transfer from the α-CH₂ group of an alcoholate complex [Cp ^*Rh(ppy)(OR)]⁺ to Cp ^*Rh(I)(ppy) is suggested to yield the Rh(II) intermediate Cp ^*Rh(ppy)H as the key and rate determining step. The knowledge of Rh(III)/Rh(I) redox potentials allows to estimate the thermodynamic driving force of the reaction which is not more than about 300 mV.