Oxidation fluorinated alcohol solvent

In fluorinated alcohol solvents, nonstrained ketones such as cyclohexanone (1) undergo oxidation to lactones in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and catalytic amounts of Brpnsted acids (Berkessel and An-dreae 2001 Berkessel et al. 2002). Unlike the classical Baeyer-Villiger reaction, ketone oxidation with H2O2 in e.g. HFIP proceeds via a spiro-bisperoxide 2 intermediate (Scheme 1). In contrast to other solvents, the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the spiro-bisperoxide 2 to two equivalents of the product lactone 3 proceeds rapidly and cleanly in HFIP. Preliminary calculations indicate active participation of the fluorinated alcohol solvent in the rate-determining step also in this case. 

In any event, TFE and H FIP are inert to oxidants and anodic oxidation [ 53 ]. This property of the fluorinated alcohol solvents has been widely used for mechanistic studies in oxidative reactions as well as organic syntheses [53-58]. 

Catalytic Oxidations with Hydrogen Peroxide in Fluorinated Alcohol Solvents... 

The catalysts applied to alkene epoxidation in fluorinated alcohol solvents can be subdivided into those which are metal/chalconide-based and those which are purely organic in nature (Scheme 4.5). The former comprise arsanes/arsane oxides [27,28], arsonic acids [29, 30], seleninic acids/diselenides ]31-35], and rhenium compounds such as Re207 and MTO (methylrhenium trioxide) ]36,37]. As shown in Scheme 4.5, their catalytic activity is ascribed to the intermediate formation of, for example, perseleninic/perarsonic adds or bisperoxorhenium complexes. In other words, their catalytic effect is due to the equilibrium transformation of hydrogen peroxide to kmetically more active peroxidic spedes. 

Under the same reaction conditions (i.e., fluorinated alcohol solvent, room temperature, 2 equiv. aqueous hydrogen peroxide), thiols are cleanly oxidized to disulfides (Scheme 4.12) [50]. 

Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation of Ketones in Fluorinated Alcohol Solvents 137... 

Over recent years, it has become obvious that fluorinated alcohol solvents are excellent media for effecting various types of oxidations with hydrogen peroxide as the terminal oxidant. The stability and easy recovery of these solvents, their excellent... 

In this example the solvent - a fluorinated alcohol - forms higher order aggregates and activates for the epoxidation of electron rich olefins. HFIP accelerates this oxidation reaction up to 100,000-fold (relative to that in 1,4-dioxane as solvent). Which hydrogen bond network involving olefin, and fluorinated alcohol gives rise to such spectacular accelerations ... 

This fluorine-containing, oxidation-resistant alcohol is best oxidized by the Pfitzner-Moffatt reaction, using dichloroacetic acid as catalyst. Observe the use of toluene, instead of carcinogenic benzene, as solvent. A Swern oxidation was not reproducible, and caused substantial epimerization of the isobutyl side chain. Collins oxidation was successful, but ... 

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