Hydrogenation and isomerization of allyl alcohol and 3-cyclohexenol in presence of the chloromethyl methyl sulfoxide complexes of palladium and rhodium

Abstract

1. The chloromethyl methyl sulfoxide complex of Pd catalyzes the hydrogenation of the C=C bond of allyl alcohol (AA) and 3-cyclohexenol, and also their rearrangement respectively to propionaldehyde and cyclohexanone. 2. The chloromethyl methyl sulfoxide complex of Rh accelerates the hydrogenation of AA and also its rearrangement, either with the involvement of hydrogen or in its absence. 3. The Rh complex catalyzes the reduction of propionaldehyde, but it is poisoned by acrolein. In contrast, the Pd complex accelerates the hydrogenation of acrolein, but is inert toward propionaldehyde.