A Hydroxyketones

Both aldoses and ketoses reduce Fehling s solution (for details, see under 4). This fact may appear surprising when it is remembered that Fehling s solution is one of the reagents for distinguishing between aldehydes and ketones (see 4). The explanation lies in the fact that a-hydroxyketones are much more readily oxidised than simple ketones, perhaps because the hydroxy ketone allows its isomerisation, in the presence of alkali, into an aldehyde. For example, fructose, a keto-hexose, might Isomerlse thus ... 

The formation of acyloins (a-hydroxyketones of the general formula RCH(OH)COR, where R is an aliphatic residue) proceeds best by reaction between finely-divided sodium (2 atoms) and esters of aliphatic acids (1 mol) in anhydrous ether or in anhydrous benzene with exclusion of oxygen salts of enediols are produced, which are converted by hydrolysis into acyloins. The yield of acetoin from ethyl acetate is low (ca. 23 per cent, in ether) owing to the accompanying acetoacetic ester condensation the latter reaction is favoured when the ester is used as the solvent. Ethyl propionate and ethyl ji-butyrate give yields of 52 per cent, of propionoin and 72 per cent, of butyroin respectively in ether. 

The same problem of illogicahty arises with other a-hydroxyketones ... 

Terminal alkyne anions are popular reagents for the acyl anion synthons (RCHjCO"). If this nucleophile is added to aldehydes or ketones, the triple bond remains. This can be con verted to an alkynemercury(II) complex with mercuric salts and is hydrated with water or acids to form ketones (M.M.T. Khan, 1974). The more substituted carbon atom of the al-kynes is converted preferentially into a carbonyl group. Highly substituted a-hydroxyketones are available by this method (J.A. Katzenellenbogen, 1973). Acetylene itself can react with two molecules of an aldehyde or a ketone (V. jager, 1977). Hydration then leads to 1,4-dihydroxy-2-butanones. The 1,4-diols tend to condense to tetrahydrofuran derivatives in the presence of acids. 

Diketones can be prepared by oxidation of the corresponding monoketone (287) or a-hydroxyketone (288). 1,2-Diketones are used extensively as intermediates in the preparation of pharmaceuticals, flavors, and fragrances. Toxicity data for selected diketones are shown in Table 11. 

The unique chemical behavior of KO2 is a result of its dual character as a radical anion and a strong oxidizing agent (68). The reactivity and solubiHty of KO2 is gready enhanced by a crown ether (69). Its usefiilness in furnishing oxygen anions is demonstrated by its appHcations in SN2-type reactions to displace methanesulfonate and bromine groups (70,71), the oxidation of benzyHc methylene compounds to ketones (72), and the syntheses of a-hydroxyketones from ketones (73). 

Preparation of Acyloins. When aUphatic esters are allowed to react with metallic sodium, potassium, or sodium—potassium alloy in inert solvents, acyloins (a-hydroxyketones) are formed (45) ... 

Amidines and related systems such as guanidines react with a-halogenoketones to form imidazoles. a-Hydroxyketones also take part in this reaction to form imidazoles, and a variety of substituents can be introduced into the imidazole nucleus by these procedures. Reaction of the a-halogenoketone (73) with an alkyl- or aryl-substituted carboxamidine (76) readily gave the imidazole (77) (01CB637, 48JCS1960). Variation of the reaction components that successfully take part in this reaction process is described in Chapter 4.08. 

Most diaziridines are not sensitive towards alkali. As an exception, diaziridines derived from 2-hydroxyketones are quickly decomposed by heating with aqueous alkali. Acetaldehyde, acetic acid and ammonia are formed from (162). This reaction is not a simple N—N cleavage effected intramolecularly by a deprotonated hydroxy group, since highly purified hydroxydiaziridine (162) is quite stable towards alkali. Addition of small amounts of hydroxybutanone results in fast decomposition. An assumed reaction path — Grob fragmentation of a hydroxyketone-diaziridine adduct (163) — is in accord with these observations (B-67MI50800). 

Condensation of two esters to an a hydroxyketone by means of rapidly stirred (BQOQ rpm) Na suspension in boiling toluene or xylene... 

DAVIDSON Oxazole Synthesis Synthesis of Iriaryl oxazoles from a-hydroxyketones (benzoins)... 

Oxidation o( ketones to a-hydroxyketones by means of a peroxymolybdenum reagent. 

Cyclodecanedione has also been prepared by oxidation of sebacoin with chromium trioxide in acetic acid, - Cupric acetate in acetic acid has been used for oxidation of an a-hydroxyketone by Ruggli and Zeller. ... 

Most frequent are oxidations of alkenes that can be converted to a series of compounds such as epoxides, halohydnns and their esters, ozonides (1,2,4 tri-oxolanes), a-hydroxyketones, a-hydroxyketone fluorosulfonates, ot-diketones, and carboxylic acids and their denvatives... 

Fluonnated alkenes with one fluonne atom attached to the double bond are converted to a-hydroxyketones by potassium permanganate [30] (equation 22) a-Diketones are formed by permanganate hydroxylation of double bonds flanked by fluonne atoms [31] (equation 23)... 

A formal total synthesis of the prostaglandin involved unmasking of an isoxazoline ring by hydrogenation over W-2 Raney Ni/BCl3/MeOH, H2O to reveal a -hydroxyketone. It was necessary in this case to deactivate the Raney... 

A reaction which has proved to be of much use in synthetic organic chemistry is the formation of the ortho and/or the para isomers of a hydroxyketone (CVI and CVTI) by treatment of a phenolic ester (CV) with an acid catalyst, viz. 

The faster cupric ion oxidation of ketoses compared with aldoses is due to the more strongly reducing nature of the a-hydroxyketone group. Pre-treatment... 

Another important reductive coupling is the conversion of esters to a-hydroxyketones (acyloin condensation).267 This reaction is usually carried out with sodium metal in an inert solvent. Good results have also been obtained for sodium metal dispersed on solid supports.268 Diesters undergo intramolecular reactions and this is also an important method for the preparation of medium and large carbocyclic rings. 

A more synthetically reliable version of this reaction involves epoxidation of silyl enol ethers. Epoxidation of the silyl enol ethers followed by aqueous workup gives a-hydroxyketones and a-hydroxyaldehydes.144... 

The oxidation of silyl enol ethers with the osmium tetroxide-amine oxide combination also leads to a-hydroxyketones in generally good yields.147... 

Both the diketone and the cleavage products were shown to arise from an a-hydroxyketone intermediate (benzoin) 9. 

V-Sulfonyloxaziridines are useful reagents for oxidation of enolates to a-hydroxyketones.251 The best results are frequently achieved by using KHMDS to form the enolate. The hydroxylation occurs preferentially from the less hindered enolate face. 

These reagents exhibit good stereoselectivity toward chiral reactants, such as acylox-azolidinones.253 Chiral oxaziridine reagents have been developed that can achieve enantioselective oxidation of enolates to a-hydroxyketones.254... 

Selective staining of polysaccharide in the cell is said to depend upon the oxidizing action of periodate on such chemical configurations as a, p glycols and a-hydroxyketones. Polyaldehydes generated by this selective oxidation react with sulfite-decolorized fuchsin. Polysaccharide areas in the cell are colored red by the stain. 

Ishikawa s synthesis of ( )-0-methylkinamycin C (54) represents a distinct approach to the kinamycins that hinges on a key Diels-Alder reaction to establish the tetracyclic skeleton of the natural products. Additional key steps in the sequence include a substrate-directed dihydroxylation, substrate-directed reduction, and spontaneous epimerization of an a-hydroxyketone intermediate. 

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