Oxidation of Other Arenes

Oxidation of Other Arenes. Aromatic compounds with longer alkyl side chains can be converted to ketones or carboxylic acids. All the previously discussed reagents except Cr02Cl2 usually afford the selective formation of ketones from alkyl-substituted arenes. Oxidation with Cr02Cl2 usually gives a mixture of products. These include compounds oxidized in the P position presumably formed via an alkene intermediate or as a result of the rearrangement of an intermediate epoxide.110,705 

Permanganate ion is a strong oxidant and tends to cleave aromatic side chains. However, when used under phase-transfer conditions,109,849 it converts benzylic methine groups into alcohols, and benzylic methylene compounds to ketones. Convenient oxidations can be carried out when KMn04 is applied in Et3N, an organic solvent (CHC13), and traces of water at room temperature.850 

The Jones reagent851 and rt-BuOOH in the presence of chromium(VI) complexes852,853 were found to be particularly useful in the oxidation of tetralins and indans. Oxidation with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) occurs with an exceptional mechanism.854 In contrast with the radical processes observed in other oxidations DDQ generates a carbocation by hydride abstraction that is trapped by water to form an alcohol  

Further oxidation of the latter furnishes the product ketone. 

Selective formation of ketones may be achieved through base-catalyzed oxidations.848 Transformation of 9,10-dihydroanthracene catalyzed by benzyltrimethy-lammonium hydroxide (Triton B)855 starts with proton abstraction  

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