Unsaturated aldehydes chemoselective

Bianchini and coworkers [126] found a difference in the chemoselectivity between the metals Fe, Ru, and Os in the complexes [M(H2)H(P(CH2CH2PPh2)3)]-BPh4 in the hydrogenation of benzylideneacetone by transfer from iso-propanol. The Fe and Ru catalysts reduced the 0=0 bond to give the allyl alcohol, with Ru more active than iron (TOF 79 IT1 at 60°C for Ru versus 13 IT1 at 80°C for Fe), while the Os catalyst first reduced the 0=0 bond but then catalyzed isomerization of the allyl alcohol to give the saturated ketone (TOF 55 IT1 at 80°C). The difference in reactivity was attributed to the weak binding of the alkene of the allyl alcohol to Fe and Ru relative to Os in these complexes. A variety of selec-tivities was noted for other unsaturated ketones, whereas unsaturated aldehydes were not hydrogenated. 

This catalyst is chemoselective in the reduction of a./i-unsaturated aldehydes, without any decarbonylation [18]. However, the resulting product was the saturated aldehyde. Generally, at pressures < 20 bar H2 and temperatures between 30 and 80 °C, selectivities exceeding 95% can be achieved in 1 h. Recycling posed no problem with successive runs, showing the same selectivity and activity. 

It has been shown previously how water-soluble rhodium Rh-TPPTS catalysts allow for efficient aldehyde reduction, although chemoselectivity favors the olefmic bond in the case of unsaturated aldehydes [17]. The analogous ruthenium complex shows selectivity towards the unsaturated alcohol in the case of crotonaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde [31]. 

In 2004, List reported that several ammonium salts including dibenzylammonium trifluoroacetate catalyzed the chemoselective 1,4 reduction of a, 5-unsaturated aldehydes with Hantszch esters as hydride sources [40]. It is assumed that substrate activation via iminium ion formation results in selective 1,4 addition of hydride. Subsequently, List [41] and MacMillan [42] reported asymmetric versions of this reaction promoted by chiral imidazoUdinone salts. In this context, several reports of this metal-free reductive process catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acids have appeared in the recent literature. 

Ir/tppts catalysts exhibit almost the same selectivity as Ru/tppts in the hydrogenation of a,p-unsaturated aldehydes albeit with approximately 70 times lower rates.485 In sharp contrast to the ruthenium and iridium based tppts catalysts, RhJ tppts complexes catalyse the chemoselective hydrogenation of a,fl-unsaturated aldehydes to the corresponding saturated aldehydes (Figure 14, III).54-485... 

The electronics and structure of the acceptors, especially a, 3-unsaturated ketones, is also a determinant in 1,2- vs. 1,4-addition processes. In general, substitution of aryl or large groups at the carbonyl unit increases the preference for 1,4-addition,16ab while a, 3-unsaturated aldehydes afford exclusive 1,2-addition and [3,(3-disubstitution suppresses 1,4-addition,l6c presumably due to steric hinderance. House and Seyden-Penne have established good correlations between chemoselectivity and either the half-wave electrolytic reduction potentials,17 or the energy levels of the LUMO of various a, 3-unsaturated ketones.17b... 

Chemoselective reduction of the conjugated double bond of a, /f-unsaturated aldehydes such as citral (556) to give citronellal (577) is possible by Pd-catalysed hydrostannation in the presence of AcOH [213],... 

Rh and Ir complexes stabilized by tertiary (chiral) phosphorus ligands are the most active and the most versatile catalysts. Although standard hydrogenations of olefins, ketones and reductive aminations are best performed using heterogeneous catalysts (see above), homogeneous catalysis becomes the method of choice once selectivity is called for. An example is the chemoselective hydrogenation of a,/ -unsaturated aldehydes which is a severe test for the selectivity of catalysts. 

Other Rh catalysts were also employed for hydrosilation of a,p-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and unsaturated nitriles. Thus, Rh(acac)2 and a tetrakis( jL-acetato)dirhodium cluster were used as catalysts in the hydrosilation of a,P-unsaturated aldehydes. These reactions, however, are not chemoselective, as alkynes, conjugated dienes and alkenes are also hydrosilylated, and allylic heterosubstituents are reduc-tively cleaved. 

Aldehydes may be converted to ( )-alkenyl halides by the reaction of CrCh with a haloform in THF. The highest overall yields for the conversion were with iodoform, but somewhat higher (E) (Z) ratios were observed with bromoform or chloroform. Other low-valent metals, such as tin, zinc, manganese and vanadium, were ineffective. As the examples in Table 19 indicate, the reaction is selective for the ( )-isomer, except in the case of an a,3-unsaturated aldehyde. In addition, the reaction with ketones is sufficiently slow for chemoselectivity to be observed for mixed substrates. 

Remarkable chemoselectivities in acetalization of carbonyl groups promoted by microwave irradiation have been reported. For example, cyclic ketones can be selectively converted to their corresponding acetals, while acyclic ones remain unchanged under the same experimental conditions. Moreover, a,(3-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones react faster then the corresponding saturated compounds. 

---