Of secondary alcohols to carboxylic acids

Anelli s TEMPO-mediated oxidation can be accelerated by the addition of a quaternary ammonium salt, like Aliquat 336, acting as a phase transfer catalyst. This can be advisable in the oxidation of hindered secondary alcohols but can encourage the over-oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids.16... 

The heterobimetallic complexes [N(n-Bu)4] [Os(N)R2(/u.-0)2Cr02] catalyze the selective oxidation of alcohols with molecular oxygen. A mechanism in which alcohol coordinates to the osmium center and is oxidized by B-hydrogen elimination (see -Hydride Elimination) is consistent with the data. The hydroxide adduct of OSO4, [0s(0H)204], with ferric cyanide and other co-oxidants catalyzes the oxidative dehydrogenation of primary aromatic and aliphatic amines to nitriles, the oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids, and of secondary alcohols to ketones. Osmium derivatives such as OsCb catalyze the effective oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons in acetonitrile through a radical mechanism. ... 

Finally, Cr(VI)-reagents should be mentioned for example the Jones reagent (H2S04/Cr03 in acetone) for the oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids and the oxidation of secondary alcohols to the corresponding ketones. The main problem with these chromium reagents is their high toxicity. 

Besides ruthenium tetroxide, other ruthenium salts, such as ruthenium trichloride hydrate, may be used for oxidation of carbon-carbon double bonds. Addition of acetonitrile as a cosolvent to the carbon tetrachloride-water biphase system markedly improves the effectiveness and reliability of ruthenium-catalyzed oxidations. For example, RuCl3 H20 in conjunction with NaI04 in acetonitrile-CCl4-H20 oxidizes (Ej-S-decene to pentanoic acid in 88% yield. Ruthenium salts may also be employed for oxidations of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids, secondary alcohols to ketones, and 1,2-diols to carboxylic acids under mild conditions at room temperature, as exemplified below. However, in the absence of such readily oxidized functional groups, even aromatic rings are oxidized. 

Recently, Giacomelli and co-workers have reported an efficient oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids through a TEMPO-catalyzed procedure. The procedure is based on the addition of 2 molar equiv of TCCA to an acetone solution of the alcohol followed by catalytic amounts (0.1 equiv) of TEMPO, NaBr, and then 1 equiv of aq. NaHCOs (Equation 65). This system operates at room temperature, the oxidation of the primary alcoholic group being practically quantitative. Secondary alcohols are oxidized to ketones. The mild conditions of this procedure and the total absence of any transition metal make this reaction suitable for safe laboratory use <2003JOC4999>. 

Cobalt complexes have frequently been used as catalysts for the oxidation of alcohols. Secondary alcohols were oxidized to ketones in the liquid phase in the presence of mixtures of Co(II) and Co(III) acetates at 60 C in nearly 80% yield [312]. Primary alcohols, on the other hand, gave high yields of the corresponding carboxylic acids in the presence of Co(OAc)3 [313]. Reaction proceeded stepwise through the aldehyde to the acid [314]. Chromium acetate could also be used to catalyze the oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids at temperatures below 100 °C but manganese and ferrous naphthenates were inactive under these conditions [314]. 

In Summary Reductions of aldehydes and ketones by hydride reagents constitute general syntheses of primary and secondary alcohols, respectively. The reverse reactions, oxidations of primary alcohols to aldehydes and secondary alcohols to ketones, are achieved with chromium(Vl) reagents. Use of pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC) prevents overoxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids. 

CHAiUNCE Overoxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids is caused by the water present in the usual aqueous acidic Cr(VI) reagents. The water adds to the initial aldehyde product to form a hydrate, which is further oxidized (Section 17-6). In view of these facts, explain the following two observations, (a) Water adds to ketones to form hydrates, but no overoxidation follows the conversion of a secondary alcohol into a ketone, (b) Successful oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes by the water-free PCC reagent requires that the alcohol be added slowly to the Cr(VI) reagent. If, instead, the PCC is added to the alcohol, a new side reaction forms an ester. This result is illustrated for 1-butanol. 

Primary and secondary hydroxyl groups can be mildly oxidized to carbonyl groups (aldehydes or ketones) by reaction with pyridinium dichromate. Primary tosyl groups can also be oxidized to aldehydes by reaction with DMSO in collidine. Primary hydroxyl groups can be mildly and selectively oxidized, in the presence of secondary alcohols, to carboxyl groups by reaction with 2,2,6,6-tetram-ethyl-1-piperidine oxoammonium ion (TEMPO) to form uronic acids. Uronic acid carboxyl groups can be reduced to primary alcohols by reaction with car-bodiimide and sodium borohydride. 

Perhaps the most important reaction of alcohols is their oxidation to carbonyl compounds. Primary alcohols yield either aldehydes or carboxylic acids, secondary alcohols yield ketones, but tertiary alcohols are not normally oxidized. Pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC) in dichloromethane is often used for oxidizing primary alcohols to aldehydes and secondary alcohols to ketones. A solution of Cr03 in aqueous acid is frequently used for oxidizing primary alcohols to carboxylic acids and secondary alcohols to ketones. 

One feature of this oxidation system is that it can selectively oxidize primary alcohols in preference to secondary alcohols, as illustrated by Entry 2 in Scheme 12.5. The reagent can also be used to oxidize primary alcohols to carboxylic acids by a subsequent oxidation with sodium chlorite.34 Entry 3 shows the selective oxidation of a primary alcohol in a carbohydrate to a carboxylic acid without affecting the secondary alcohol group. Entry 5 is a large-scale preparation that uses NaC102 in conjunction with bleach as the stoichiometric oxidant. 

Nickel(lll) oxide, prepared from a nickel(ii) salt and sodium hypochlorite, is used for the oxidation of alkanols in aqueous alkali [46]. Residual nickel(Ii) oxide can be re-activated by reaction with sodium hypochlorite. Nickel oxides have also long been used in the manufacture of the positive pole in the Edison nickel-iron rechargeable battery, now largely superseded by die lead-acid accumulator, and in the Jungner nickel-cadmium batteries used as button cells for calculators [47]. Here, prepared nickel oxide is pressed into a holding plate of perforated nickel. Such prepared plates of nickel(lli) oxide have been proposed as reagent for the oxidation, in alkaline solution, of secondary alcohols to ketones and primary alcohols to carboxylic acids [48]. Used plates can be regenerated by anodic oxidation. 

The nickel oxide electrode is generally useful for the oxidation of alkanols in a basic electrolyte (Tables 8.3 and 8.4). Reactions are generally carrried out in an undivided cell at constant current and with a stainless steel cathode. Water-soluble primary alcohols give the carboxylic acid in good yields. Water insoluble alcohols are oxidised to the carboxylic acid as an emulsion. Short chain primary alcohols are effectively oxidised at room temperature whereas around 70 is required for the oxidation of long chain or branched chain primary alcohols. The oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones is carried out in 50 % tert-butanol as solvent [59], y-Lactones, such as 10, can be oxidised to the ketoacid in aqueous sodium hydroxide [59]. 

Good selectivity for the oxidation of primary alcohols in the presence of secondary ones can be achieved. By appropriate choice of the reaction conditions, overoxidation of the aldehyde from a primary alcohol to carboxylic acid can be minimized. Kinetic isotope effects in the range of 2 to 3 testify about the relevance of the H+-elimination step upon the overall reactivity . In general, the efficiency of oxidation of alkanols is slightly lower... 

Abstract This is one of the most important classes of oxidation effected by Ru complexes, particnlarly by RnO, [RuO ] , [RnO ] and RuCljCPPhj), though in fact most Ru oxidants effect these transformations. The chapter covers oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes (section 2.1), and to carboxylic acids (2.2), and of secondary alcohols to ketones (2.3). Oxidation of primary and secondary alcohol functionalities in carbohydrates (sugars) is dealt with in section 2.4, then oxidation of diols and polyols to lactones and acids (2.5). Finally there is a short section on miscellaneous alcohol oxidations in section 2.6. 

Ruthenium-oxo species (Ru04)2 and (Ru04) oxidize primary alcohols to carboxylic acids and secondary alcohols to ketones. New species (Ru02Cl3)(PPh4) and Ru02(bipy)Cl2 cleanly oxidize a wide range of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones without attack of double bonds.638... 

Ru04 is a very reactive reagent that is employed not only for the oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones and primary alcohols to carboxylic acids,36 but also to perform the following transformations ... 

The difficulty is over-oxidation. One simple solution is to oxidise all the way to the carboxylic acid and reduce selectively with, say DIBAL (f-Bu2AlH). But the reagents in the table give reasonable results and can also be used for the oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones.7 Full descriptions are in Fieser8 or the volume of Comprehensive Organic Synthesis devoted to oxidation.9... 

Oxidation of primary [Eq. (1)], secondary [Eq. (2)], or tertiary [Eq. (3)] carbon atoms all occur to give the corresponding alcohols. Further oxidation of a primary alcohol yields the aldehyde, which is usually rapidly converted to the carboxylic acid. The oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones generally leads to less hydrophilic metabolites and is less common. 

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