Selective Oxidative Cleavages at Other Functional Groups

SECTION 10.4. SELECTIVE OXIDATIVE CLEAVAGES AT OTHER FUNCTIONAL GROUPS 

Selective Oxidative Cleavages at Other Functional Groups 

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A. Selective Oxidative Cleavages at Other Functional Groups... 

Shilov reported some of the earliest evidence that transition metal complexes could selectively cleave the C-H bonds of alkanes in a catalytic fashion. Shilov showed that H/D exchange would occur between alkanes and deuterated acid in the presence of platinum complexes (Equation 18.5 and Table 18.1). In addition, Shilov showed that the oxidation of alkanes occurred in the presence of a platinum(II) catalyst, although a platinum(IV) complex was needed as the oxidant. These reactions led to a mixture of alkyl halides formed from the halide of the Pt(IV) oxidant (Equation 18.6) and trifluoroacetate from the trifluoroacetic acid solvent. The cost of platinum(IV) as an oxidant makes this reaction impractical. However, these results provided hope that selective alkane functionalization could be developed because H/D exchange occurred faster at primary C-H bonds than at secondary C-H bonds (Table 18.1), and some selectivity for oxidations of primary C-H bonds over secondary C-H bonds was observed. As noted in Chapter 6, these results motivated a large number of groups to seek transition metal complexes that would insert into, or by other means selectively cleave, the C-H bond of alkanes and create products from this bond cleavage that could be observed directly. 

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