Ruthenium tetroxide reaction conditions

The sequence has been applied to the synthesis of 1,4-cyclohexanedione from hydroquinone 10), using W-7 Raney nickel as prepared by Billica and Adkins 6), except that the catalyst was stored under water. The use of water as solvent permitted, after hltration of the catalyst, direct oxidation of the reaction mixture with ruthenium trichloride and sodium hypochlorite via ruthenium tetroxide 78). Hydroquinone can be reduced to the diol over /o Rh-on-C at ambient conditions quantitatively (20). 

Methylbenzenes are oxidized to the corresponding benzoic acids in very high yield under phase-transfer catalytic conditions by sodium hypochlorite in the presence of ruthenium trichloride, which is initially oxidized to ruthenium tetroxide [5]. Absence of either the ruthenium or the quaternary ammonium salt totally inhibits the reaction. 

Cyclic sulfites (68) also are opened by nucleophiles, although they are less reactive than cyclic sulfates and require higher reaction temperatures for the opening reaction. Cyclic sulfite 77, in which the hydroxamic ester is too labile to withstand ruthenium tetroxide oxidation of the sulfite, is opened to 78 in 76% yield by reaction with lithium azide in hot DMF [82], Cyclic sulfite 79 is opened with nucleophiles such as azide ion [83] or bromide ion [84], by using elevated temperatures in polar aprotic solvents. Structures such as 80 generally are not isolated but as in the case of 80 are carried on (when X = N3) to amino alcohols [83] or (when X = Br) to maleates [84] by reduction. Yields are good and for compounds unaffected by the harsher conditions needed to achieve the displacement reaction, use of the cyclic sulfite eliminates the added step of oxidation to the sulfate. 

Oxidation of benzyl ethers. Benzyl ethers are oxidized to benzoate esters in yields of 54-96% by ruthenium tetroxide using the Sharpless conditions (11, 462). This reaction provides a useful method for cleavage of benzyl ethers, which is usually effected by hydrogenation. 

The diols (97) from asymmetric dil droxylation are easily converted to cyclic sii e esters (98) and thence to cyclic sulfate esters (99).This two-step process, reaction of the diol (97) with thionyl chloride followed by ruthenium tetroxide catalyzed oxidation, can be done in one pot if desired and transforms the relatively unreactive diol into an epoxide mimic, ue. the 1,2-cyclic sulfate (99), which is an excellent electrophile. A survey of reactions shows that cyclic sulfates can be opened by hydride, azide, fluoride, thiocyanide, carboxylate and nitrate ions. Benzylmagnesium chloride and thie anion of dimethyl malonate can also be used to open the cyclic sulfates. Opening by a nucleophile leads to formation of an intermediate 3-sidfate aiuon (100) which is easily hydrolyzed to a -hydroxy compound (101). Conditions for cat ytic acid hydrolysis have been developed that allow for selective removal of the sulfate ester in the presence of other acid sensitive groups such as acetals, ketals and silyl ethers. 

The physical properties, preparation and reactions of ruthenium tetroxide have been reviewed by Lee and van den Engh, Rylander," Haines and Hetuy and Lange. A more vigorous oxidant than osmium tetroxide, its reaction with double bonds produces only cleavage products. " Under neutral conditions aldehydes are formed from unsaturated secondary carbons while carboxylic acids are obtained under alkaline or acidic conditions. For example, Shalon and Elliott" found that ruthenium tetroxide reacted with compound (11) to give the corresponding aldehyde under neutral conditions, but that a carboxylic acid was formed in acidic or alkaline solvents (equation 23). 

The relative reactivity of primary and secondary positions adjacent to oxygen can be strongly dependent on the nature of the oxidant. For example, treatment of the methyl ethers (8) and (10) with chromium trioxide in acetic acid leads to the formation of the formates (9) and (11), respectively (equations 13 and 14). In direct contrast, n-decyl methyl ether is oxidized exclusively to methyl n-decanoate (83% yield) by ruthenium tetroxide (equation 11). Under similar reaction conditions, 3p-cholestanol methyl ether gives cholestan-3-one as the major product, together with traces of the corresponding formate. Therefore, at least in the case of ruthenium tetroxide, primary positions appear to be more reactive than tertiary. 

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