Hydrogenolysis aromatic ketones

Fig. 17.72. Ionic hydrogena-tion/hydrogenolysis of an aromatic ketone (meto-nitroace-tophenone). CF3C00H causes a reversible protonation of the ketone to the ion A. The reducing agent triethylsilane then transfers a hydride ion onto A to form a benzylic alcohol. This alcohol presumably is silylated, protonated, and converted into the benzyl cation B. A second hydride transfer yields the final product.

Aromatic aldehydes and aromatic ketones also can be reduced to hydrocarbons in a completely different manner, namely via the so-called ionic hydrogenation followed by an ionic hydrogenolysis. This kind of reduction is possible only if it can proceed via resonance-stabilized cationic intermediates. This resonance stabilization is readily achieved in a benzylic position, and it is therefore advantageous to employ aromatic carbonyl compounds in this kind of reduction. The carboxonium ion A, formed... 

Aromatic ketones represent a rather special case in dissolving metal reductions. Under many conditions pinacol formation is the predominent reaction path (see Volume 3, Chapter 2.6). Also, the reduction potentials of aromatic carbonyl compounds are approximately 1 V less negative than their aliphatic counterparts. The reductions of aromatic ketones by metals in ammonia are further complicated by the fact that hydrogenolysis of the carbon-oxygen bond can take place (Chapter 1.13, this volume) and Birch reduction may intervene (Chapter 3.4, this volume). 

A potentially useful chemoselective dissolving metal reagent for the reduction of aromatic ketones in the presence of other functional groups is the combination Zn-DMSO and aqueous potassium hydroxide. In three examples (benzophenone, fluorenone and 4-benzoylpyridine), the yields of secondary alcohols were over 90%. Two other ketones (xanthone and thioxanthone) gave mixtures of alcohol and the hydrocarbon obtained by hydrogenolysis of a carbon-oxygen bond. ... 

For aliphatic aldehydes and ketones, reduction to the alcohol can be carried out under mild conditions over platinum or the more-active forms of Raney nickel. Ruthenium is also an excellent catalyst for reduction of aliphatic aldehydes and can be used to advantage with aqueous solutions. Palladium is not very active for hydrogenation of aliphatic carbonyl compounds, but is effective for the reduction of aromatic aldehydes and ketones excellent yields of the alcohols can be obtained if the reaction is interrupted after absorption of one mole of hydrogen. Prolonged reaction, particularly at elevated temperatures or in the presence of acid, leads to hydrogenolysis and can therefore be used as a method for the reduction of aromatic ketones to methylene compounds. 

The cyclization of aromatic acids (intramolecular acylation) leads to aromatic ketones this reaction is used to construct rings B and C in the synthesis of equilenin and estrone. The keto group formed by acylation is subsequently either eliminated by hydrogenolysis (Schemes 8, 14, 26, 28, 52, 79), or is used for the introduction of new side chains (Schemes 1,6, 78). There is a well-known method for the simultaneous formation of rings B and C by the cyclization of chlorides of (3 -dianisyladipic acids (75) (Scheme 52). In this process, the stereochemistry of the initial acid (meso or dl) determines the stereochemistry of the end product (76) (trans orcis). 

Aldehydes and ketones are similar in their response to hydrogenation catalysis, and an ordering of catalyst activities usually applies to both functions. But the difference between aliphatic and aromatic carbonyls is marked, and preferred catalysts differ. In hydrogenation of aliphatic carbonyls, hydrogenolysis seldom occurs, unless special structural features are present, but with aryl carbonyls either reduction to the alcohol or loss of the hydroxy group can be achieved at will. 

An unusual by-product was obtained in small yield in palladium-catalyzed reduction of 2-amino-4,5-dimethoxyindanone hydrochloride, The reduction was done in two stages first, a rapid absorption of 1 mol of hydrogen at 38 C to give the amino alcohol, and then a much slower reduction in the presence of HCIO4 at 70 "C. The rearranged by-product was shown to arise from attack of acid on the amino alcohol (50), Resistance to hydrogenolysis is characteristic of / -amino aromatic alcohols (56), a fact that makes reduction of aromatic oximino ketones to amino benzyl alcohols a useful synthetic reaction. 

This result stands in contrast to hydrogenation of 2-oximino-]-indanone (R = H), which stopped spontaneously at the 2-amino-1-indanol stage under similar conditions (43). This latter result accords with the general exp>erience in reduction of aromatic -oximino ketones (35,37 38,39,40). The amino function usually severely inhibits hydrogenolysis of the alcohol. 

Hydrogenation of a C=0 double bond followed by catalytic hydrogenolysis of the resulting OH group is an alternative method for the conversion of aromatic aldehydes and ketones to alkanes. Pd/C and Pt02 are the most often used catalysts.49-51 In this way, dimethyltetralone was hydrogenated-hydrogenolyzed under 60 psi H2 for 5 hours in MeOH-HCl with 10% Pd/C (Scheme 4.22).52... 

In contrast to phenolic hydroxyl, benzylic hydroxyl is replaced by hydrogen very easily. In catalytic hydrogenation of aromatic aldehydes, ketones, acids and esters it is sometimes difficult to prevent the easy hydrogenolysis of the benzylic alcohols which result from the reduction of the above functions. A catalyst suitable for preventing hydrogenolysis of benzylic hydroxyl is platinized charcoal [28], Other catalysts, especially palladium on charcoal [619], palladium hydride [619], nickel [43], Raney nickel [619] and copper chromite [620], promote hydrogenolysis. In the case of chiral alcohols such as 2-phenyl-2-butanol hydrogenolysis took place with inversion over platinum and palladium, and with retention over Raney nickel (optical purities 59-66%) [619]. 

Hydrogen and a catalyst.2 0 The most common catalysts are platinum and ruthenium, but homogeneous catalysts have also been used.281 Before the discovery of the metal hydrides this was one of the most common ways of effecting this reduction, but it suffers from the fact that C=C, CssC, C=N and C=N bonds are more susceptible to attack than C=0 bonds.282 For aromatic aldehydes and ketones, reduction to the hydrocarbon (9-37) is a side reaction, stemming from hydrogenolysis of the alcohol initially produced (0-78). 

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