Ketones from alkanoic acids

Ketones can also be prepared directly from carboxylic acids by activation as mixed anhydrides by dimethyl dicarbonate.236 These conditions were used successfully with alkanoic and alkanedioic acids, was well as aromatic acids. 

Fused pyrazole compounds have been prepared from A -alkyl-substituted pyrazoles. For example, a palladium-catalyzed/norbornene-mediated sequential coupling reaction involving an aromatic sp C-H functionalization as the key step has been described, in which an alkyl-aryl bond and an aryl-heteroaryl bond are formed in one pot. A variety of highly substituted six-membered annulated pyrazoles 433 were synthesized in a one-step process in moderate yields from iV-bromoalkyl pyrazoles 431 and aryl iodides 432 (Equation 87) <20060L2043>. An intramolecular cyclization version has also been reported. Exposure of 2equiv of -butyllithium to l//-pyrazole-l-alkanoic acids 434 afforded the cyclic ketones 435 via a Parham-type cyclization process (Equation 88) <1997SL1013>. 

Reconstituted ion chromatogram (RIC) from gc-ms analysis of the ketones and carboxylic acids (as methyl esters) of a Pliocene diatomaceous ooze from Walvis Ridge (DSDP 75-532-21-2). Peak assignments numbered peaks are n-alkanoic acids solid pea k s lab e 11 e d 6,... 

Frequent use is made in the laboratory of oxidative degradation of methyl ketones. With alkyl ketones the resistance of the methyl group to attack by the usual oxidants is so great that reaction occurs only at one point thus an unbranched alkyl methyl ketone, for instance, on oxidation by chromic and sulfuric acid in glacial acetic acid affords, besides acetic acid, the alkanoic acid containing two fewer carbon atoms than the ketone e.g., palmitic acid from 2-octadecanone 128... 

Equation 28 represents the formation of oxoalkyl phosphonic acid esters (488 R = OR) or phosphinic esters (488 R = alkyl or aryl) from phosphite or phosphonite esters and appropriate halogen-containing ketones ( > 1) or acyl halides (n = 0), and supplements the formation of the phosphonoylated or phosphinoylated alkanoic acids through reactions 21 and 22 in the previous section. 

Considerable interest arose during the 1970 s and 1980 s in the use of micro-organisms to produce useful fatty adds and related compounds from hydrocarbons derived from the petroleum industry. During this period, a large number of patents were granted in Europe, USA and Japan protecting processes leading to the production of alkanols, alkyl oxides, ketones, alkanoic adds, alkane dioic acids and surfactants from hydrocarbons. Many of these processes involved the use of bacteria and yeasts associated with hydrocarbon catabolism. 

By simply hydrolyzing the easily accessible 2-hydroxy-2-methylalkanenitriles with concentrated acid, 2-hydroxy-2-methylalkanoic acids are obtained without measurable racemization (Table 3). The reaction sequence from the starting ketone to the carboxylic acid can be carried out in one pot without isolation of the cyanohydrin. The enantiomeric excesses of the (/ )-cyanohydrins and the (ft)-2-hydroxyalkanoic acids are determined from the ( + )-(/T)-Mosher ester derivatives and as methyl alkanoates by capillary GC, respectively. The most efficient catalysis by (R)-oxynitrilase is observed for the reaction of hydrocyanic acid with 2-alkanoncs. 3-Alkanoncs are also substrates for (ft)-oxynitrilase, to give the corresponding (/ )-cyanohydrins32. 

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