Iridium Catalyst Alcohol oxidation

Complex 77 has also been reported to catalyze the oxidative dimerization of alcohols to esters when the reactions are performed in the presence of base [76]. The presence of base presumably encourages the reversible attack of the alcohol onto the initially formed aldehyde to give a hemiacetal, which is further oxidized to give the ester product. Alcohols 87 and 15 were converted into esters 88 and 89 with good isolated yields (Scheme 20). Alternative iridium catalysts have been used for related oxidative dimerization reactions, and the addition of base is not always a requirement for the reaction to favor ester formation over aldehyde formation [77, 78]. 

As demonstrated in recent work by Obora and Ishii, alkynes serve as allyl donors in carbonyl allylations from the alcohol oxidation level [277]. Specifically, upon exposure to an iridium catalyst generated in situ from [lr(OH)(cod)]2 and P( -Oct)3, l-aryl-2-methylalkynes couple to primary alcohols to furnish homoallylic alcohols with complete branched regioselectivity and excellent levels of diastereoselectivity (Scheme 17). 

The BINAP derivative of the ort/io-cyclometallated iridium catalyst has been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis [280]. Remarkably, although the reaction sequence depends upon oxidation of either the reactant alcohol or isopropanol, the enantiomeric purity of the homoallylic alcohol product... 

Selective reduction to hydroxylamine can be achieved in a variety of ways the most widely applicable systems utilize zinc and ammonium chloride in an aqueous or alcoholic medium. The overreduction to amines can be prevented by using a two-phase solvent system. Hydroxylamines have also been obtained from nitro compounds using molecular hydrogen and iridium catalysts. A rapid metal-catalyzed transfer reduction of aromatic nitroarenes to N-substituted hydroxylamines has also been developed the method employs palladium and rhodium on charcoal as catalyst and a variety of hydrogen donors such as cyclohexene, hydrazine, formic acid and phosphinic acid. The reduction of nitroarenes to arylhydroxyl-amines can also be achieved using hydrazine in the presence of Raney nickel or iron(III) oxide. ... 

The Oppenauer Oxidation. When a ketone in the presence of an aluminum alkoxide is used as the oxidizing agent (it is reduced to a secondary alcohol), the reaction is known as the Oppenauer oxidation. This is the reverse of the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reaction (19-36) and the mechanism is also the reverse. The ketones most commonly used are acetone, butanone, and cyclohexanone. The most common base is aluminum ferf-butoxide. The chief advantage of the method is its high selectivity. Although the method is most often used for the preparation of ketones, it has also been used for aldehydes. An iridium catalyst has been developed for the Oppenauer oxidation, and also a water-soluble iridium catalyst An uncatalyzed reaction under supercritical conditions was reported. 

A homogeneous catalytic solution to the alcohol inhibition problem (see the discussion under Uncatalyzed chain reactions of the oxidation of alcohol intermediates, above) does not appear to have been found. However, the presence of a heterogeneous oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst has been reported to be effective in the direct oxidation of alcohols to carbonyls and acids [109, 110]. The mechanism probably involves preliminaiy heterogeneous (oxidative) dehydrogenation of carbinols to carbonyls. If the carbonyl is an aldehyde, it is readily converted to the acid. Platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium catalysts, supported on carbon, are reported to be active and selective catalysts for the purpose [109]. Promoters such as cobalt and cadmium have been reported to be effective additives. 

Several more expensive metals have been reported to form primary amides from aldehydes via an oxime intermediate. One of these is the iridium catalyst [Ir(Cp )Cl2]2, which is able, in a one pot reaction, to convert alcohols into amides (Scheme 17.37). This involves firstly the oxidation of the alcohol to the aldehyde. This is then converted to the oxime on addition of hydro-jylamine, which can then undergo a metal catalysed rearrangement to the corresponding amide. ... 

The most successful class of active ingredient for both oxidation and reduction is that of the noble metals silver, gold, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum. Platinum and palladium readily oxidize carbon monoxide, all the hydrocarbons except methane, and the partially oxygenated organic compounds such as aldehydes and alcohols. Under reducing conditions, platinum can convert NO to N2 and to NH3. Platinum and palladium are used in small quantities as promoters for less active base metal oxide catalysts. Platinum is also a candidate for simultaneous oxidation and reduction when the oxidant/re-ductant ratio is within 1% of stoichiometry. The other four elements of the platinum family are in short supply. Ruthenium produces the least NH3 concentration in NO reduction in comparison with other catalysts, but it forms volatile toxic oxides. 

Alcohols will serve as hydrogen donors for the reduction of ketones and imi-nium salts, but not imines. Isopropanol is frequently used, and during the process is oxidized into acetone. The reaction is reversible and the products are in equilibrium with the starting materials. To enhance formation of the product, isopropanol is used in large excess and conveniently becomes the solvent. Initially, the reaction is controlled kinetically and the selectivity is high. As the concentration of the product and acetone increase, the rate of the reverse reaction also increases, and the ratio of enantiomers comes under thermodynamic control, with the result that the optical purity of the product falls. The rhodium and iridium CATHy catalysts are more active than the ruthenium arenes not only in the forward transfer hydrogenation but also in the reverse dehydrogenation. As a consequence, the optical purity of the product can fall faster with the... 

Abstract The purpose of this chapter is to present a survey of the organometallic chemistry and catalysis of rhodium and iridium related to the oxidation of organic substrates that has been developed over the last 5 years, placing special emphasis on reactions or processes involving environmentally friendly oxidants. Iridium-based catalysts appear to be promising candidates for the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes/ketones as products or as intermediates for heterocyclic compounds or domino reactions. Rhodium complexes seem to be more appropriate for the oxygenation of alkenes. In addition to catalytic allylic and benzylic oxidation of alkenes, recent advances in vinylic oxygenations have been focused on stoichiometric reactions. This review offers an overview of these reactions... 

The oxidation of benzoin with cerium(IV) in perchloric acid solution is proposed to involve an interaction between Ce4+(aq.) ions and the keto alcohol, resulting in the formation of free radicals. The final product is benzoic acid.66 The rate of oxidation of crotyl alcohol with cerium(IV) is independent of the concentration of Ce(IV). The reaction induced polymerization of acrylonitrile indicating the formation of free radicals. The kinetics and activation parameters for the reaction have been determined.67 For the Ir(III)-catalysed oxidation of methyl ketones68 and cyclic ketones69 with Ce(IV) perchlorate, successive formation of complex between the reductant and Ce(IV) and then with the catalyst has been proposed. Results showed that in acidic solutions, iridium(III) is a more efficient catalyst than osmium and ruthenium compounds. 

P,S -Unsaturated alcohols undergo an oxidative esterification with aliphatic aldehydes in the presence of an iridium(I) catalyst and potassium carbonate.330 Precoordination of the ene-alkoxide with iridium is proposed, followed by reaction with aldehyde. Although the ester yield is high, a mixture of unsaturated and saturated esters is typically obtained, except for secondary alcohols. 

Pincer-ligated iridium complexes have been used as homogeneous catalysts for the dehydrogenation of aliphatic polyalkenes to give partially unsaturated polymers. The catalyst appears to be selective for dehydrogenation in branches as compared with the backbone of the polymer.56 The mechanism shown in Scheme 1 has been suggested for an [IrCl(cod)]2-catalysed oxidative esterification reaction of aliphatic aldehydes and olefinic alcohols.57... 

Because oxidations with oxygen are free-radical reactions, free radicals should be good initiators. Indeed, in the presence of hydrogen bromide at high enough temperatures, lower molecular weight alkanes are oxidized to alcohols, ketones, or acids [5 7]. Much more practical are oxidations catalyzed by transition metals, such as platinum [5, 6, 55, 56], or, more often, metal oxides and salts, especially salts soluble in organic solvents (acetates, acetylacetonates, etc.). The favored catalysts are vanadium pent-oxide [3] and chlorides or acetates of copper [2, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66], iron [67], cobalt [68, 69], palladium [60, 70], rhodium [10], iridium [10], and platinum [5, 6, 56, 57]. 

---