Alcohols, secondary, oxidation with silver carbonate

Oxides of copper and silver are used to oxidize secondary alcohols in the vapor phase at 250-300 °C [349] or in the liquid phase at room temperature [380], respectively. A similar effect is achieved with lead tetraacetate in pyridine at room temperature. Benzhydrol is thus converted into benzophenone in 80% yield [442], The oxidation of codeine with silver carbonate requires 1 h of refluxing in benzene to give a 75% yield of codeinone [376],... 

The same allylic alcohols (142) undergo regiospecific oxidative cleavage with pyridinium chloro-chromate at the ethylenic bond to give, after saponification, a-hydroxyacids (145). Extension of this reaction to a -unsaturated ketones (146), obtained by oxidation of secondary alcohols with silver carbonate on celite, affords a-ketoacids (147) <88TL626l>. 

It is possible to run a controlled over-oxidation reaction with silver carbonate. Fetizon discovered that 1,3-and 1,4-diols are smoothly oxidized to butyrolactone and valerolactone derivatives in good yield. Oxidation of a diol can be accomplished in the presence of a variety of functional groups, even another alcohol. A primary alcohol, for example, will be oxidized faster than a secondary alcohol, as illustrated by the conversion of 113 to 114.173... 

Oxidation of the primary alcoholic group to a carboxyl group in diols with primary and secondary hydroxyls is accomplished by silver carbonate [377]. Unfortunately, an extremely large excess of the reagent is needed. Similar results are obtained with a rather exotic oxidant, 4-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-l-oxopiperidinium chloride, which is prepared by treatment with chlorine of a stable radical, 4-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl. The compound oxidizes 1,4-butanediol to y-butyrolactone in 100% yield (isolated yield 81%) and 1,5-pentanediol to 8-valerolactone in 61% yield (isolated yield 40%) [995] (equation 292). 

Several references have appeared on the use of solid-phase oxidants. Solid potassium permanganate-copper sulphate mixtures oxidize secondary alcohols to ketones in high yield, and pyridinium chromate or chromic acid on silica gel are described as convenient off-the-shelf reagents for oxidation of both primary and secondary alcohols. Anhydrous chromium trioxide-celite effects similar transformations only when ether is present as co-solvent. An excellent review, with over 400 references, on supported oxidants covers the use of silver carbonate-celite, chromium trioxide-pyridine-celite, ozone-silica, chromyl chloride-silica, chromium trioxide-graphite, manganese dioxide-carbon, and potassium permanganate-molecular sieve. 

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