Photocatalytic Conversion of a FeCl<Subscript>3</Subscript>–CCl<Subscript>4</Subscript>–ROH System

The photocatalytic transformations of carbon tetrachloride and aliphatic primary alcohols in the presence of iron trichloride and a molar ratio of components FeCl₃: CCl₄: ROH = 1: 300: 2550 were studied. CCl₄ is transformed into chloroform and hexachloroethane after exposure to a mercury lamp (250 W) to the FeCl₃–CCl₄–ROH system at 20°C, whereas the primary ROH alcohols are selectively oxidized into acetals (1,1-dialkoxyalkanes). The maximum conversion of CCl₄ reaches 80%. The kinetics and mechanism of the photocatalytic conversion of the FeCl₃–CCl₄–ROH system are considered.     

Promotion effect of nickel for Cu–Ni/γ-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts in the transfer dehydrogenation of primary aliphatic alcohols

Cu–Ni/γ-Al₂O₃ bimetallic catalysts were developed for anaerobic dehydrogenation of non-activated primary aliphatic alcohols to aldehydes. Systematic investigation about the promotion effect of nickel on the catalytic performance was carried out. Hydrogenation of C=C bond rather than C=O bond, was significantly improved over Cu–Ni/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst by introducing nickel, which interprets the good conversion of primary aliphatic alcohols. This work would contribute to design new catalysts for dehydrogenation of primary aliphatic alcohols.     

Singlet oxygen photooxygenation of furans : Isolation and reactions of (4+2)-cycloaddition products (unsaturated sec.-ozonides)

Tetraphenylporphin-photosensitized oxygenations of furan (19), 2-methylfuran (26), 2-ethylfuran (39), furfurylalcohol (24), 2-acetylfuran (40), 2-methoxyfuran (42), 2,5-dimethylfuran (30), furfural (25) and 5-methylfurfural (41) in non-polar aprotic solvents yield the corresponding monomeric unsaturated secondary ozonides due to a (4+2)-cycloaddition of singlet oxygen to these furans. With the exception of the ozonide derived from 25, the ozonides were isolated and characterized (¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectra, etc.). In non-polar aprotic solvents, the ozonides derived from 19, 26 and 39 undergo thermal rearrangements to the corresponding cis-diepoxides and epoxylactones. Ozonide 31, derived from 30, however, dimerizes, only above about 60° is a cis-diepoxide formed from either 31 or its dimer. Rose bengal-photosensitized oxygenations of the furans in alcohols (MeOH, EtOH, i-PrOH) also produce the corresponding ozonides as the primary products of (4+2)-cycloadditions of singlet oxygen to these furans. However, reactions of the alcohols with the ozonides are too fast to allow the ozonides to be isolated. Instead, the same products are obtained as are isolated from reactions carried out by dissolving the ozonides in the alcohols. Depending on the structure of the ozonide, three pathways are available to ozonide/alcohol (ROH) interactions:(1) addition of ROH to yield alkoxy hydroperoxides; one out of several possible isomers is formed in a completely stereoselective and regiospecific reaction; (2) elimination of a bridgehead proton by ROH as a base, as observed with the ozonide derived from 19 to give hydroxy butenolide (78) in yields between 20 and 60%, and (3) ROH-attack on a carbonyl side-chain under elimination of the corresponding alkyl ester, as observed with furfural photooxygenation which yielded hydroxy butenolide (78) in high yields (95%). Interaction of ozonide 31 with tert.-butyl alcohol (t-BuOH) yields quantitatively cis-3-oxo-1-butenylacetate (81) by a Baeyer-Villiger-type rearrangement with vinyl group migration Hydrogenbonding between the alcohol and the peroxy group of the ozonides assist the heterolysis of the C—O bonds in the ozonides; the most stabilized cation develops. Front-attack of ROH on this cation explains the stereoselectivity as well as the regiospecificity of the alkoxy hydroperoxide formation; with a bulky alcohol like t-BuOH, ROH-attack on the cation is sterically hindered thus allowing a rearrangement to occur. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of p-nitrophenyl azide to ozonide 31 proceeds stereoselectively to one of the isomers 87a/87b. Finally, kinetic results of furan photooxygenation in methanol show the following order of furan-reactivity towards singlet oxygen: 30 > 42 > 26 > 19 > 41 > 25, with absolute rate constants ranging from 1.8 × 10⁸ (with 30) to 8.4 × 1O⁴ M^-1P^-1 (with 25).     

CuCl catalyzed selective oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids with tert-butyl hydroperoxide at room temperature

Direct oxidation of primary alcohols to the corresponding carboxylic acids is performed highly efficiently at room temperature with anhydrous tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of a catalytic amount of easily available CuCl under ligand free conditions in acetonitrile. Benzylic alcohols are more reactive than aliphatic alcohols, and these benzylic alcohols are selectively oxidized to the corresponding acids in the presence of aliphatic alcohols such as 1-octanol and 1-decanol.     

A new application of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate [(NH4)2Ce(NO3)3] in fullerene chemistry—free-radical alkoxylation of C60 fullerene on reaction with primary alcohols

The reaction of [60]fullerene with primary aliphatic alcohols (ROH, R = Et, Me, Pr) mediated by cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate [(NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₃] affords the corresponding alkoxy-derivatives with a hydroxy group, C₆₀(OR)_x(OH) (x = 3, 4) in high yield. The reaction is characterized by a free radical mechanism confirmed by an EPR study of the alkoxy fullerenyl radical (g = 2.0023).     

The absolute configuration of simple aliphatic alcohols through a chemical/computational approach: triarylether derivatives of (+)-endo-2-norborneol as a case study

The reliable determination of the absolute configuration of (+)-endo-2-norborneol 1, chosen as a representative case of simple aliphatic UV–vis transparent alcohols, was obtained by transforming this compound in its 1-naphthyl-diphenylmethyl ether 5 whose ECD spectrum displays several, low-lying, intense Cotton effects, which can be satisfactorily simulated in position, sign, and intensity by TDDFT/B3LYP/6-31G¹ calculations. This result represents a possible, general, new approach to the absolute configuration of aliphatic alcohols.     

Efficient alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols catalyzed by ruthenium(II)/P,N ligand complexes

An efficient catalytic system containing [RuCl₂(η⁶-p-cymene)]₂ and one P,N ligand, N-diphenylphosphino-2-aminopyridine (L1) was loaded in catalyzing the alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols for a diverse array of substrates. Other five P,N ligands based on pyridin-2-amine and pyrimidin-2-amine were also examined in this reaction to explore the influence of steric hindrance and electronic effects. Monitoring by ¹H NMR and ESI-MS reveals a stable cationic L1-coordinated ruthenium hydride intermediate, identified as [Ru(η⁶-p-cymene)(κ²-L1)H]⁺. Organic intermediates consistent with a three-step dehydrogenation, alkylation and hydrogenation pathway were also observed. The final step in this reaction, the ruthenium-catalysed transfer hydrogenation reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketone with benzyl alcohol was performed separately.     

Oxidation of alcohols by dimethyldioxirane

The kinetics of oxidation of a series of monoatomic alcohols (methanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-chloroethanol, 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol, benzyl alcohol), hydroxyacetic acid, and 1,3-butandiol (ROH) by dimethyldioxirane (1) was studied. The reaction kinetics obeys the second order equationw=k[ROH][1]. The rate constants were measured in the range of 7–50†C, and the activation parameters were found. To describe the reaction rate constants as a function of the ROH structure, the two-parametric Taft equation was used, which takes into account both the polar and resonance substituent effects. Alcohol oxidation produces the corresponding carbonyl compounds,viz., ketones from secondary alcohols and aldehydes from primary alcohols, in yields of at least 80%. The results were explained by the competition of the molecular (oxenoid) and radical mechanisms. The introduction of electron-withdrawing substituents into the alcohol molecule increases the contribution of the radical channel of the reaction. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1338–1343, August, 2000.     

A simple procedure for the esterification of alcohols with sodium carboxylate salts using 1-tosylimidazole (TsIm)

An efficient and selective method for esterification of alcohols using N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)imidazole (TsIm) is described. In this method, alcohols are refluxed with a mixture of RCO₂Na (R: alkyl and aryl), TsIm, and triethylamine in the presence of catalytic amounts of tetra-n-butylammonium iodide (TBAI) in DMF to afford the corresponding esters in good yields. This methodology is highly efficient for various structurally diverse alcohols with selectivity for ROH: 1° > 2° > 3°.     

N-tert-Butylbenzenesulfenamide-catalyzed oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with N-chlorosuccinimide

N-tert-Butylbenzenesulfenamide (1)-catalyzed oxidation of various primary and secondary alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones was efficiently carried out by using N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) in the coexistence of potassium carbonate and molecular sieves 4 Å at easy-to-control temperatures ranging from 0°C to room temperature. The present catalytic oxidation was performed without giving any damage to the functional groups in alcohols, and was particularly effective in the oxidation of alcohols that formed labile aldehydes because of its mild reaction conditions. Further, selective oxidation of primary hydroxy groups took place in 1-catalyzed oxidation of several diols. Mechanistic investigation suggested that the chlorination of the sulfenamide 1 by NCS led to the formation of a key species, N-tert-butylbenzenesulfinimidoyl chloride (2), which in turn oxidized alcohols in the presence of potassium carbonate to afford carbonyl products by accompanying regeneration of the catalyst 1.     

A highly enantioselective Strecker reaction catalyzed by titanium-N-salicyl-β-aminoalcohol complexes

N-salicyl-β-amino alcohols 1 were synthesized and evaluated as ligands for catalytic asymmetric Strecker reactions. N-Benzhydrylaldimines derived from aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes reacted with TMSCN in the presence of 10 mol% of Ti-1 complex to give the Strecker products in excellent yields and in up to >98% ee. The presence of a protic additive is essential to ensure good conversion and reaction rate. The reaction conditions are simple and the stereochemical outcome is predictable from the configuration of the ligands, both enantiomers of which are readily synthesized.     

An evaluation of the Noyori system “in reverse”: Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of secondary alcohol transfer dehydrogenation catalyzed by [(η-1-Pr-4-Me-C6H4)Ru(HN-CR′R″-CR′R″NTs)], R′ = H, Me; Ph, R″ = H, Me

The 16 electron ruthenium complexes [(η⁶-1-isopropyl-4-methyl-benzene)(X-N)Ru(II)], where X-N is 2-amido-1-ethoxide (2), 1-N-p-tosyl-1,2-diamido-ethane (3), 1-N-p-tosyl-1,2-diamido-benzene (7), 1-N-(p-tosyl)-1,2-diamido-1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-ethane (8) and 1-N-(p-tosyl)-1,2-diamido-meso-1,2-diphenyl-ethane (9) have been evaluated as catalysts for the transfer dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols to ketones in acetone and/or cyclohexanone solvent. Complexes 2 and 3 cannot be isolated and decompose under these conditions. In contrast complexes 7, 8 and 9 are supported by ligands designed to resist β-hydride elimination and can with the exclusion of oxygen be held in solution for weeks. Complex 7 is not active as a catalyst. Complexes 8 and 9 are highly air-sensitive and active as catalysts for transfer (de)hydrogenations under oxidizing and reducing conditions, respectively. There is no coordinative inhibition of the catalysts by the ketone solvent under oxidizing conditions, but both catalysts show a correlation between the reaction rates and the ΔG values of the reactions with reactions leading to α, β-unsaturated ketones proceeding faster. For all alcohol/ketone substrate pairs where the ketone is not α, β-unsaturated, the hydrogenation reactions under reducing conditions (iso-propanol solvent) are at least one order of magnitude faster than the corresponding dehydrogenation reaction under oxidizing conditions (acetone solvent).     

AlCl3-catalyzed oxidation of alcohol

The metalloid salt AlCl₃, applied as catalyst for the oxidation of alcohol was presented. In water media, variety of alcohols, including inactive aliphatic alcohols, could be converted into corresponding carbonyl compounds with excellent conversion and selectivity. Especially, this green reaction system also exemplifies advances toward the domino synthesis alkenes in good yields (>52%) and perfect purity (>99%), and the reaction gave preferentially the E-isomer. The obvious advantages of the present protocol include green reaction media, wide functional group tolerance, convenient product isolation, as well as grams reaction scale.     

A simple one-pot procedure for the direct conversion of alcohols into azides using TsIm

A facile and efficient method for one-pot conversion of alcohols into azides using N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)imidazole (TsIm) is described. In this method, alcohols are refluxed with a mixture of NaN₃, TsIm and triethylamine in the presence of catalytic amounts of tetra-n-butylammonium iodide (TBAI) in DMF affording the corresponding alkyl azides in good yields. This methodology is highly efficient for various structurally diverse alcohols with selectivity for ROH: 1° > 2° > 3°.     

A simple one-pot procedure for the direct conversion of alcohols into alkyl nitriles using TsIm

A convenient and efficient one-pot preparation of nitriles from alcohols using N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)imidazole (TsIm) is described. In this method, treatment of alcohols with a mixture of NaCN, TsIm and triethylamine in the presence of catalytic amounts of tetra-n-butylammonium iodide (TBAI) in refluxing DMF furnishes the corresponding alkyl nitriles in good yields. This methodology is highly efficient for various structurally diverse alcohols with selectivity for ROH: 1° > 2° > 3°.     

Acceptorless dehydrogenative synthesis of primary amides from alcohols and ammonia

The highly desirable synthesis of the widely-used primary amides directly from alcohols and ammonia via acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling represents a clean, atom-economical, sustainable process. Nevertheless, such a reaction has not been previously reported, and the existing catalytic systems instead generate other N-containing products, e.g., amines, imines and nitriles. Herein, we demonstrate an efficient and selective ruthenium-catalyzed synthesis of primary amides from alcohols and ammonia gas, accompanied by H₂ liberation. Various aliphatic and aromatic primary amides were synthesized in high yields, with no observable N-containing byproducts. The selectivity of this system toward primary amide formation is rationalized through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which show that dehydrogenation of the hemiaminal intermediate into primary amide is energetically favored over its dehydration into imine.

An efficient and selective synthesis of primary amides from alcohols and ammonia, with H₂ evolution, has been achieved by an unprecedented acceptorless dehydrogenative process catalyzed by a pyridine-based PNN–ruthenium pincer complex.     

Highly diastereo- and enantioselective direct aldol reaction under solvent-free conditions

An efficient, solvent-free protocol for the asymmetric aldol reaction between aldehydes and ketones using prolinamides 1–4 as organocatalysts is reported. Catalysts 2–4, in the presence of TFA (the ratio of catalyst and TFA = 1/1.5), proved to be excellent catalysts, giving the aldol products between aromatic aldehydes and ketones with nearly perfect diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to >99:1 dr and >99% ee). This catalytic system can also be applied in the cross-aldol reaction of isatin with ketones and the Michael reaction between cyclohexane and nitroalkenes. A mechanism is proposed to account for the formation of the major enantiomer in this reaction.     

Stepwise Metal–Ligand Cooperation by a Reversible Aromatization/Deconjugation Sequence in Ruthenium Complexes with a Tetradentate Phenanthroline‐Based Ligand

The synthesis and reactivity of ruthenium complexes containing the tetradentate phenanthroline‐based phosphine ligand 2,9‐bis((di‐tert‐butylphosphino)methyl)‐1,10‐phenanthroline (PPhenP) is described. The hydrido chloro complex [RuHCl(PPhenP)] ( 2 ) undergoes facile dearomatization upon deprotonation of the benzylic position, to give [RuH(PPhenP‐H)] ( 4 ). Addition of dihydrogen to 4 causes rearomatization of the phenanthroline moiety to trans‐[Ru(H)₂(PPhenP)] ( 5 ), followed by hydrogenation of an aromatic heterocycle in the ligand backbone, to give a new dearomatized and deconjugated complex [RuH(PPhenP*‐H)] ( 6 ). These aromatization/deconjugation steps of the coordinated ligand were demonstrated to be reversible and operative in the dehydrogenation of primary alcohols without the need for a hydrogen acceptor. This aromatization/deconjugation sequence constitutes an unprecedented mode of a stepwise cooperation between the metal center and the coordinated ligand.     

Cyclic mechanism in the trapping of carbonyl oxides with alcohols and carboxylic acids

The reaction of diphenylcarbonyl oxide with alcohols and carboxylic acids, which has been classified as a nucleophilic trapping, is shown to be in the reactivity order: AcOH ? MeOH > CF₃CH₂OH > EtOH ? t-BuOH. A laser-flash spectroscopy indicated that the reaction of carboxylic acids is very fast, that is, one-tenth of the diffusion rate. These results suggest that the hydroxyl compounds react as an acid and a nucleophile at the same time and the major reaction is via the seven- and five-membered cyclic mechanism for RCO₂H and ROH, respectively.     

Direct formation of cyclobutenylphosphonates from 1-alkynylphosphonates and Cp2ZrCl2/2EtMgCl/2CuCl

Zirconacycles 2 prepared from 1-alkynylphosphonates 1, zirconocene dichloride, and 2 equiv of EtMgCl are smoothly converted into cyclobutenylphosphonates 3 when treated with two equiv of CuCl in 65-81% isolated yield. The reaction is specific and general only for zirconacyclopentenyl phosphonates.