Propanal self-aldol reactions

Seebach has proposed the participation of an oxazoUdinone intermediate along the reaction pathway of the proline-catalyzed aldol reaction, driven by the NMR observation of this species in the reaction mixture. Sharma and Sunoj employed DPT and MP2 computations to assess whether the oxazoUdinone is actuaUy on the reaction pathway. They examined the proUne-catalyzed self-aldol reaction of propanal, for which MacMillan has experimentaUy shown an ee of... 

Recently, Dominguez de Maria and co-workers [45] have studied experimentally the influence of the organocatalyst on the outcome of the aldol reaction reaction between acetone and isobutyraldehyde. Qrganocatalysts able to form bicyclic oxazolidine intermediates (proUne and prolinol) led predominantly to aldol adducts, while organocatalysts unable to form these oxazolidines (pyrrolidine, O-methyl prolinol and proline tcrt-butyl ester) afforded preferently (>2.5 1) the condensation product. In summary, most of the experimental evidence points toward a distinct catalytic role of oxazoUdinone intermediates in proline-catalyzed reactions. It should be pointed out, however, that DPT studies of the proline-catalyzed self-aldol reaction of propanal, in which the enamine carboxylic acid and the oxazoUdinone pathways were compared, concluded that the Seebach model was inadequate for rationalizing... 

Several NaOH-treated ionic liquids for self- and cross-aldol condensation reactions of propanal provide an interesting example illustrating improved product selectivity in a system in which competing reactions take place (109). In the self-aldol condensation reaction of propanal, 2-methylpent-2-enal is formed. The reaction progresses through an aldol intermediate and produces the unsaturated aldehyde. The NaOH-treated ionic liquid [BDMIM]PF gave the highest product... 

II reaction under similar conditions at temperatures between 80 and 100°C and with a four-fold excess of 2-methylpentanal (to compensate for the low solubility), the selectivity for the Aldol II product (80%) was 20% higher in [BMIMJEF NaOH than in the water/NaOH system, both at 100% propanal conversion. The increased selectivity was attributed to the higher solubility of the reactant 2-methylpentanal in the ionic liquid phase than in the water phase. The higher solubility of 2-methylpentanal effectively suppressed the self-aldol condensation in the ionic liquid. 

Firstly, we have the acetone aldol self-condensation reaction over basic sites to give diacetone alcohol (DAA). Dehydration of this alcohol yeilds mesityl oxide (MSO) winch, in turn, can be selectively hydrogenated over reduced metal sites to finally give methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). In addition to the aldol condensation route, the acetone carbonyl functional group can also be directly hydrogenated over reduced metal sites yielding 2-propanol. Other reaction by-products such as methane, propane, diisopropyl ether and diisobutyl ketone have been detected in some experiments, but in very low amounts, lower than 2% of the total reaction products. 

Mixed aldol condensations can be effective only if we limit the number of reaction pos sibilities It would not be useful for example to treat a solution of acetaldehyde and propanal with base A mixture of four aldol addition products forms under these condi tions Two of the products are those of self addition... 

When the enolate of one aldehyde (or ketone) adds to the carbonyl group of a different aldehyde or ketone, the result is called a crossed aldol condensation. The compounds used Crossed Aldol in the reaction must be selected carefully, or a mixture of several products will be formed. Condensations Consider the aldol condensation between ethanal (acetaldehyde) and propanal shown below. Either of these reagents can form an enolate ion. Attack by the enolate of ethanal on propanal gives a product different from the one formed by attack of the enolate of propanal on ethanal. Also, self-condensations of ethanal and propanal continue to take place. Depending on the reaction conditions, various proportions of the four possible products result. 

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