Transfer hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenolysis—21 : Dehydrogenation of alcohols by quinones

Abstract

Dehydrogenation of benzyl-type alcohols and hydroaromatic compounds by 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano- p-benzoquinone (DDQ) and tetrachloro- p-benzoquinone were examined, and the hydrogen transfer from 1-phenyl-1-propanol to DDQ was investigated in detail. The yield of the propiophenone increased when solvents which would be expected to increase the concentration of the charge transfer complex between the alcohol and DDQ were used. Initial rates of the reaction in dioxane were proportional to the concentration of the hydrogen donor and that of the hydrogen acceptor. In the dehydrogenation of several para- or meta-substituted 1-phenyl-1-propanols at 60°, −3.30 was obtained as a value of reaction constant. Relative rates of the reaction of PhCH(OH)Et, PhCH(OD)Et, PhCD(OH)Et, and PhCD(OD)Et were 8.9,9.1,1.0 and 1, respectively. This result suggests that the transfer of the H atom attached to the α-carbon of the alcohol is the rate-determining step. This and some other results support a two-step ionic mechanism for the dehydrogenation of alcohols.