Alcohols heterogeneous metal catalysed

Ru(II)-TPPTS to the corresponding unsaturated alcohols in biphasic mode. If one compares the reaction times until full conversion, it becomes clear that the reaction rate correlates with the solubility of the substrate in the aqueous phase, as expected. The latter decreases with increasing chain length or branching of the chain at the C3-atom. In contrast to heterogeneously catalysed hydrogenations of o , d-unsaturated aldehydes, the steric hindrance of substituents at the C3-atom only plays a minor role in the coordination mode of the substrate at the metal centre, since selectivity differences from croton-aldehyde to citral are marginal. 

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