Easy α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols through a hydrogen autotransfer process catalyzed by RuCl2(DMSO)4

The electrophilic α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols is accomplished by a hydrogen autotransfer process catalyzed by RuCl₂(DMSO)₄. The reaction can produce either simple alkylated ketones or α,β-unsaturated ketones just by choosing the appropriate starting ketones (methyl ketones or bicyclic methylenic ketones, respectively), as well as quinolines (by using 2-aminobenzyl alcohol derivatives) or the corresponding alcohol derivatives by the addition of an extra equivalent of the initial alcohol. In the last case, after the above alkylation process reduction of the carbonyl compound takes place. A mechanistic study seems to indicate that the process goes through the oxidation of the alcohols with ruthenium (after a previous deprotonation) to yield the corresponding aldehyde and a ruthenium hydride intermediate. In turn, the aldehyde suffers a classical aldol reaction with the starting ketone to form the corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketone, which finally is reduced through a Michael-type addition by the aforementioned ruthenium hydride intermediate.