One-pot synthesis of α-bromo- and α-azidoketones from olefins by catalytic oxidation with in situ-generated modified IBX as the key reaction

Abstract

Simple one-pot protocols for the syntheses of α-bromoketones and α-azidoketones starting from olefins have been developed by employing catalytic oxidation of the intermediary bromohydrins with in situ-generated modified IBX as the key reaction. The improved procedure involves initial formation of bromohydrin by the reaction of olefin with NBS in acetonitrile-water mixture (1:1) at rt followed by oxidation with in situ-generated 3,4,5,6-tetramethyl-2-iodoxybenzoic acid (TetMe-IBX), produced in catalytic amounts from 3,4,5,6-tetramethyl-2-iodobenzoic and Oxone. α-Bromoketones are further converted in the same pot to the corresponding α-azidoketones using NaN3/NaHCO3. The one-pot conversions are versatile for a variety of olefins that include cyclic as well as acyclic aliphatic olefins and electron-rich and electron-deficient styrenes. Chemoselective bromohydroxylation of electron-rich double bond and subsequent oxidation to the α-bromoketone is demonstrated for a substrate that contains both electron-rich and deficient double bonds.