Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidation of Alkenes

The field of homogeneous palladium catalysis traces its origin to the development of the Wacker process in the late 1950s (Eq. 7) [83]. Since this discovery, palladium-catalyzed reactions have evolved into some of the most versatile reactions for the synthesis of organic molecules [84,85]. Palladium-catalyzed Wacker-type oxidation of alkenes continues to be an active field of research [86-88], and several recent applications of NHC-coordinated Pd catalysts have been reported for such reactions. 

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The synthetic applications of the palladium-catalyzed oxidation of alkenes to ketones have recently been reviewed.639 Improvements in the Wacker palladium-catalyzed ketonization of terminal alkenes have been obtained using phase-transfer catalysis,641 polyethylene glycol642 or phosphomolybdovanadic acids.643... 

In most palladium-catalyzed oxidations of unsaturated hydrocarbons the reaction begins with a coordination of the double bond to palladium(II). In such palladium(II) olefin complexes (1), which are square planar d8 complexes, the double bond is activated towards further reactions, in particular towards nucleophilic attack. A fairly strong interaction between a vacant orbital on palladium and the filled --orbital on the alkene, together with only a weak interaction between a filled metal d-orbital and the olefin ji -orbital (back donation), leads to an electrophilic activation of the alkene9. 

Stereo- and regioselective palladium-catalyzed oxidation of 1,3-dienes in acetic acid to give l,4-diacetoxy-2-alkenes has been accomplished using Mn02 and catalytic amounts of p-benzoquinone (BQ)11. The reaction can be made to take place with cis- or trans-1,4-diacetoxylation across the diene in cyclic systems as shown in equation 6. 

SCHEME 137. Proposed mechanism for the palladium-catalyzed oxidation of terminal alkenes to methyl ketones using TBHP oxidant... 

In fact, the role of copper and oxygen in the Wacker Process is certainly more complicated than indicated in equations (151) and (152) and in Scheme 10, and could be similar to that previously discussed for the rhodium/copper-catalyzed ketonization of terminal alkenes. Hosokawa and coworkers have recently studied the Wacker-type asymmetric intramolecular oxidative cyclization of irons-2-(2-butenyl)phenol (132) by 02 in the presence of (+)-(3,2,10-i -pinene)palladium(II) acetate (133) and Cu(OAc)2 (equation 156).413 It has been shown that the chiral pinanyl ligand is retained by palladium throughout the reaction, and therefore it is suggested that the active catalyst consists of copper and palladium linked by an acetate bridge. The role of copper would be to act as an oxygen carrier capable of rapidly reoxidizing palladium hydride into a hydroperoxide species (equation 157).413 Such a process is also likely to occur in the palladium-catalyzed acetoxylation of alkenes (see Section 61.3.4.3). 

Palladium-catalyzed oxidation of 1,3-dienes in the presence of LiCl and LiOAc produces l-acetoxy-4-chloro-2-alkenes with high selectivity. The reaction is stereospecific and cyclic dienes give an overall cis [1,4] addition (equation 299).644... 

A simple synthetic method for 1,4-dicaibonyl compounds was introduced, based on the allylation of carbonyl compounds with allyl halide as a C3 component, followed by the palladium-catalyzed oxidation of the terminal alkenes (20) to methyl ketones (21). In this method, the allyl group is a synthetic equivalent of the 2-oxopropyl group (Scheme 5). This is a good anellation method for cyclopentenones. 

Although isomerization of alkenes occurs simultaneously with the oxidation, rhodium and ruthenium complexes can also be used instead of palladium for the oxidation of terminal alkene [15]. With these catalysts, symmetrical quaternary ammonium salts such as tetrabutylammonium hydrogensulfate are effective. Interestingly, the rate of palladium-catalyzed oxidation of terminal alkenes can be improved by using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) instead of quaternary ammonium salts [16]. Thus, the rates of PEG-400-induced oxidation of 1-decene are up three times faster than those observed with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide under the same conditions. Interestingly, internal alkenes can be efficiently oxidized in this polyethylene glycol/water mixture. 

The reaction conditions are similar to those employed in the diacetoxylation reaction, the difference being that the halide concentration (usually Cl ) has been increased. Thus, palladium-catalyzed oxidation of 1,3-dienes with p-BQ in the presence of lithium chloride and lithium acetate gives l-acetoxy-4-chloro-2-alkenes [89]. For example, 1,3-cyclohexadiene and 1,3-cycloheptadiene afforded the corresponding chloroacetates 66a,b in good yields and with >98% cis selectivity (Eq. (11.39)). 1,3-Cyclooctadiene gave a 61% yield of acetoxychlorination product (>98% cis), but in this case a 3 1 mixture of 1,4- and 1,2-addition products was formed. A number of substituted cyclic conjugated dienes were found to work well, and in all cases tried, the reaction proceeded with >97-98% cis addition [58, 89-92]. 

E. Negishi, in Organozinc Reagents A Practical Approach, P. Knochel, and P. Jones, Eds., Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999, 213-243. Palladium- and Nickel-Catalyzed Reactions of Organozinc Compounds. T. Hosokawa and S.-I. Murahashi, in Chemistry for the list Century Monographs Transition Metal Catalyzed Reactions, S.-I. Murahashi and S. G. Davies, Eds., Blackwell Science, Oxford, 1999, Palladium-Catalysed Oxidation of Alkenes. 

The reaction of certain palladium-heteroatom complexes to alkenes and alkynes is a versatile tool for the synthesis of alkanes and alkene having heteroatoms attached. In particular, the various B-B, B-Si, and B-Sn compounds can be used for palladium-catalyzed borylation of alkenes and alkynes (Scheme 5-2). Borostannylation takes place at ambient temperature, whereas silylboration " only proceeds at a temperature above 80 °C due to the slow oxidative addition of a B-Si bond to a palladium(O) catalyst. Both reactions selectively provide cz j-products via addition of silicone or tin to the internal carbon and boron. The reactions are compatible with various functional groups for both terminal and internal alkynes. Cross-coupling reaction of boranes with organic halides selectively occurs at the terminal C-B bonds to provide regiodefined and stereodefined alkenylboron, alkenylsilicon, and alkenyltin compounds. 

Hydroxycarbonylation and alkoxycarbonylation of alkenes catalyzed by metal catalyst have been studied for the synthesis of acids, esters, and related derivatives. Palladium systems in particular have been popular and their use in hydroxycarbonylation and alkoxycarbonylation reactions has been reviewed.625,626 The catalysts were mainly designed for the carbonylation of alkenes in the presence of alcohols in order to prepare carboxylic esters, but they also work well for synthesizing carboxylic acids or anhydrides.137 627 They have also been used as catalysts in many other carbonyl-based processes that are of interest to industry. The hydroxycarbonylation of butadiene, the dicarboxylation of alkenes, the carbonylation of alkenes, the carbonylation of benzyl- and aryl-halide compounds, and oxidative carbonylations have been reviewed.6 8 The Pd-catalyzed hydroxycarbonylation of alkenes has attracted considerable interest in recent years as a way of obtaining carboxylic acids. In general, in acidic media, palladium salts in the presence of mono- or bidentate phosphines afford a mixture of linear and branched acids (see Scheme 9). 

Palladium-catalyzed oxidative couplings of aromatic compounds with alkenes in air lead to cinnamate products with TONs attaining 280 (Equations (66) and (67)).67,67a,67b... 

Oxidation of alkenes and dienes involving an allene substituent as a formal nucleophile is a conceptually new reaction. Allcnc-substitutcd 1,3-cyclohexadienes 34 undergo a pal-ladium(II)-catalyzed oxidation to give bicydic compounds 35 or 36 in good yields (Scheme 17.14) [14]. When y-alkenylallenes, e.g. 37, 41 and 43, were treated with 1 mol% palladium trifluoroacetate, a similar oxidative carbocyclization took place [15]. In both reactions the new stereocenters are formed with high stereoselectivity. 

Palladium-catalyzed addition of oxygen nucleophiles to alkenes dates back to the Wacker process and acetoxylation of ethylene (Sects. 1 and 2). In contrast, catalytic methods for intermolecular oxidative amination of alkenes (i.e., aza-Wacker reactions) have been identified only recently. Both O2 and BQ have been used as oxidants in these reactions. 

Scheme 14 Possible outcomes for the palladium-catalyzed oxidative acetoxylation of alkenes...

Table 1 Palladium(II)-catalyzed Oxidation of Functionalized Terminal Alkenes to Methyl Ketones Alkene Product...

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