Alcohols 1,3-diols from 5-hydroxyketones

Although significant improvements have been made in the synthesis of phenol from benzene, the practical utility of direct radical hydroxylation of substituted arenes remains very low. A mixture of ortho-, meta- and para-substituted phenols is typically formed. Alkyl substituents are subject to radical H-atom abstraction, giving benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, and benzoic acid in addition to the mixture of cresols. Hydroxylation of phenylacetic acid leads to decarboxylation and gives benzyl alcohol along with phenolic products [2], A mixture of naphthols is produced in radical oxidations of naphthalene, in addition to diols and hydroxyketones [19]. 

A number of 1,2-diols, a-hydroxyketones and other aromatic, and ahphatic secondary alcohols have been successfirUy oxidized to the corresponding ketones with yields from 74% up to 92% and reaction times between 0.5 and 3 h. 

For the last two decades, the use of the platinum- or rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular hydrosilylation/Tamao-Fleming oxidation sequence has been well recognized as a powerful method for the stereoselective synthesis of various structurally diverse alcohols (1,3-diols, 2-alkoxy-l,3-diols, and 2-aminoalcohols) and ketone derivatives (/3-hydroxyketones, y-hydroxyketones, o, /3-dihydroxyketones, and a,y-dihydroxyketones) from simple and readily available starting materials such as substituted allyl or propargyl alcohols and their homologues (4,177). Selected applications are presented in equations (24-26). 

Bromine sodium hydrogen carbonate Oxidations with halogen/hexamethylphosphoramide Oxo compds. from alcohols Hydroxyketones from diols Retention of prim, alcohol groups... 

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