The radical-chain addition of aldehydes to alkenes by the use of N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) as a polarity-reversal catalyst.

Abstract

Hydroacylation of simple alkenes with aldehydes via a radical process was successfully achieved by the use of N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) as a polarity-reversal catalyst. Thus, 5-tridecanone was obtained by the reaction of oct-1-ene with pentanal in the presence of small amounts of NHPI and dibenzoyl peroxide (BPO).