Base-catalyzed isomerization of olefins

In the present chapter, no explicit discussion or review of the acid-and/or base-catalyzed isomerization of olefins will be included. The discussion will be confined to isomerizations achieved with soluble transition metal complexes. However, it will be seen that addition and elimination reactions and allylic intermediates figure prominently in discussions of the mechanisms. 

The discovery that sodium in the presence of small amounts of organosodium compounds, produced in situ or deposited on alumina, acts as an effective catal for double bond isomerization of alkenes and cyclenes U) triggered much research in this field (2). It was subsequently discovered that base-catalyzed isomerization of olefins may proceed in homogeneous solutions using lithium ethylenediamine (3) or potassium tert-butoxide (UBuOK) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (4). 

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