Oppenauer Oxidation Research Articles

Synthesis of Thiazole‐Fused Diosgenin Derivatives as Potential Therapeutic Agents

AbstractDiosgenin, a hydrolyzed product of phytosteroid saponin, has widely been studied for its medicinal properties. In an effort to find bioactive molecules, 25 novel thiazole‐fused diosgenin molecules have been synthesized by an efficient reaction protocol. The chemistry involves the Oppenauer oxidation followed by double bond isomerization in a one‐pot reaction, epoxidation, and the reaction of urea derivatives with the epoxyketone to synthesize the target compounds. These novel chimeric compounds were tested for their potential antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties. Antimicrobial studies against a panel of Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative led to the discovery of some of these molecules as narrow‐spectrum antimicrobial agents against Bacillus subtilis bacteria. In preliminary cytotoxicity studies, 2‐fluorophenyl derivative (10) inhibited the growth of several cell lines of the NCI‐60 cell line panels including >93 % inhibition of UO‐31 cell line. Furthermore, the hit antibacterial compounds are non‐toxic to human cancer cell lines, and the cytotoxic compound is not active against the bacterial strains, showing the selective therapeutic potential of the chimeric compounds.

Synthesis and catalytic activity of tetradentate β-diketiminato rare-earth metal monoalkyl complexes in tandem Oppenauer oxidation and cross-aldol condensation.

A series of unsymmetric tetradentate β-diketiminato rare-earth metal monoalkyl complexes were synthesized, and their catalytic behavior has been well developed. Indole-incorporated β-diketiminato proligands H2L (L = MeC(NDipp)CHC(Me)NCH2CH2-3-(1-R-C8H4N), R = CH2-(2-C4H7O), L1; R = (CH2)2OMe, L2; Dipp = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) were prepared by the reaction of an arylamino-enone with 1-substituted-tryptamine in good yields. Treatment of the proligands with the rare-earth metal trialkyl complexes RE(CH2SiMe3)3(THF)2 generated the corresponding unsymmetric N,N,C,O-tetradentate β-diketiminato rare-earth metal monoalkyl complexes LRE(CH2SiMe3) (L1, RE = Y (1a), Gd (1b), Yb (1c), Lu (1d); L2, RE = Y (2a), Gd (2b), Yb (2c), and Lu(2d)). During the process, the activation of the sp2 C-H bond at the 2-position of the indole ring led to the formation of an unprecedented β-diketiminato dianion L2-, bonding to the rare-earth metal ions in a chelating N,N,C,O-tetradentate manner. Further studies indicated that these tetradentate rare-earth metal complexes could initiate the Oppenauer oxidation of secondary alcohols into the corresponding ketones in high yields. In the case of primary alcohols, a tandem Oppenauer oxidation and cross-aldol condensation occurred unexpectedly. Various α-mono-substituted benzylidene acetones, α,α'-bis-substituted benzylidene acetones and cyclohexanones were obtained under mild conditions only by controlling the molar ratio of alcohols to ketones. Notably, all these alkenylation ketones exhibited exclusive E configuration.

Cr-catalyzed chiral allenone synthesisviasequential radical–polar crossover and Oppenauer oxidation

We describe the Cr-catalyzed enantioconvergent synthesis of chiral 2,3-allenones from aldehydes and propargyl bromides, which features an unprecedented cascade of Cr-catalyzed asymmetric reductive radical–polar crossover and Oppenauer oxidation.

Catalytic Oppenauer oxidation of secondary alcohols over post-synthesized Sn-Beta

We have developed post-synthesized Sn-Beta for Oppenauer oxidation. Quantitative structure–performance correlation reveals that open framework Sn sites are the intrinsic active sites, affording a much higher efficiency than other Sn counterparts.

Synthesis of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones with Secondary Alcohols and Aldehydes Catalyzed by Fe(acac)3

AbstractAn efficient and environmentally friendly methodology for the direct synthesis of α,β‐unsaturated ketones by cross‐coupling of secondary alcohols and aldehydes is developed. The transformation is based on Fe(acac)3‐catalyzed Oppenauer oxidation and Claisen‐Schmidt reaction, in which aldehydes are used as oxidants to oxidize secondary alcohols to ketones, and then in situ condensation with aldehydes to form α,β‐unsaturated ketones. The reaction proceeds under base‐free conditions with a wide range of substrates and good compatibility of functional groups. Gram‐scale experiments show the good applicability of this method.

Catalytic Magnesium-Oppenauer Oxidation of Alcohols

Abstract A catalytic magnesium-Oppenauer oxidation reaction was developed. When a solution of alcohols in toluene was successively treated with 15–30 mol % of EtMgBr and 1.0 equiv. of trifluoromethyl ketone (oxidant), a hydride transfer-type oxidation reaction (Oppenauer oxidation) occurred to give corresponding ketones in good chemical yields (up to 85%). It was noteworthy that even a weakly basic alkoxide derived from trifluoromethyl ketone worked as an efficient Brønsted base to deprotonate the starting material (alcohols) at ambient temperature (25 °C). The efficiency of the present method was highlighted by applying the method to substrates having a nitrogen atom, which were sensitive to various oxidation conditions.

Ruthenacycles and Iridacycles as Transfer Hydrogenation Catalysts.

In this review, we describe the synthesis and use in hydrogen transfer reactions of ruthenacycles and iridacycles. The review limits itself to metallacycles where a ligand is bound in bidentate fashion to either ruthenium or iridium via a carbon–metal sigma bond, as well as a dative bond from a heteroatom or an N-heterocyclic carbene. Pincer complexes fall outside the scope. Described are applications in (asymmetric) transfer hydrogenation of aldehydes, ketones, and imines, as well as reductive aminations. Oxidation reactions, i.e., classical Oppenauer oxidation, which is the reverse of transfer hydrogenation, as well as dehydrogenations and oxidations with oxygen, are described. Racemizations of alcohols and secondary amines are also catalyzed by ruthenacycles and iridacycles.

Highly tunable selectivity to benzaldehyde over Pd/ZrO2 catalysts in Oppenauer oxidation of benzyl alcohol using acetone as H-acceptor

The development of novel bifunctional catalysts with high selectivity is the key to achieving the goals of sustainable chemical synthesis. Here, we report the synthesis of mesoporous zirconia and transition metal-doped zirconia by inverse micelle approach. Also, meso-zirconia supported Pd nanocatalysts via the deposition-precipitation method. Highly crystalline Pd/ZrO2 nanoparticles were formed, as evidenced in the pXRD and TEM analyses. The acid-base quantification was investigated using TPD-NH3 and TPD-CO2. Interestingly, the integration of the intrinsic chemical properties of the multi-component catalyst is significant in tailoring the catalytic activities. Interactions between the adsorbates and the moderate acid-base pair sites rather than a single dominating acid or base site mediate the higher selectivity for the aldehyde product. The 100 % chemoselectivity to benzaldehyde is ascribed to the strong synergy between Pd-Zr, which generated the moderate acid-base property. The Pd/ZrO2 is reusable, with selectivity retained after ten cycles.

Efficient and selective microwave Oppenauer oxidation of sterol derivatives

An improved, fast, and accurate procedure for regioselective microwave Oppenauer oxidation of sterol derivatives is reported leading to the expected corresponding ketosterols in moderate to excellent isolated yields ranging from 58 to 81%. The influence of different parameters dealing with the nature of the solvent and of the Lewis acid/ketone couple used, the reaction temperature as well as the hydrolysis conditions were also investigated on the outcome of the reaction.

Dual utility of a single diphosphine-ruthenium complex: a precursor for new complexes and, a pre-catalyst for transfer-hydrogenation and Oppenauer oxidation.

The diphosphine–ruthenium complex, [Ru(dppbz)(CO)2Cl2] (dppbz = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene), where the two carbonyls are mutually cis and the two chlorides are trans, has been found to serve as an efficient precursor for the synthesis of new complexes. In [Ru(dppbz)(CO)2Cl2] one of the two carbonyls undergoes facile displacement by neutral monodentate ligands (L) to afford complexes of the type [Ru(dppbz)(CO)(L)Cl2] (L = acetonitrile, 4-picoline and dimethyl sulfoxide). Both the carbonyls in [Ru(dppbz)(CO)2Cl2] are displaced on reaction with another equivalent of dppbz to afford [Ru(dppbz)2Cl2]. The two carbonyls and the two chlorides in [Ru(dppbz)(CO)2Cl2] could be displaced together by chelating mono-anionic bidentate ligands, viz. anions derived from 8-hydroxyquinoline (Hq) and 2-picolinic acid (Hpic) via loss of a proton, to afford the mixed-tris complexes [Ru(dppbz)(q)2] and [Ru(dppbz)(pic)2], respectively. The molecular structures of four selected complexes, viz. [Ru(dppbz)(CO)(dmso)Cl2], [Ru(dppbz)2Cl2], [Ru(dppbz)(q)2] and [Ru(dppbz)(pic)2], have been determined by X-ray crystallography. In dichloromethane solution, all the complexes show intense absorptions in the visible and ultraviolet regions. Cyclic voltammetry on the complexes shows redox responses within 0.71 to −1.24 V vs. SCE. [Ru(dppbz)(CO)2Cl2] has been found to serve as an excellent pre-catalyst for catalytic transfer-hydrogenation and Oppenauer oxidation.

Mg-Catalyzed OPPenauer Oxidation—Application to the Flow Synthesis of a Natural Pheromone

The so-called OPPenauer oxidation is well known for its ability to oxidize valuable alcohols into their corresponding aldehydes or ketones. In particular, it has proven to be extremely successful in the oxidation of sterols. On the other hand, its application—in the original formulation—to the obtainment of ketones outside the field of steroids met a more limited success because of less favorable thermodynamics and side reactions. To circumvent these issues, the first example of magnesium-catalyzed OPPenauer oxidation is described. The oxidation of primary and secondary alcohol was performed using pivaldehyde or bromaldehyde as the oxidant and cheap magnesium tert-butoxide as catalyst. Decent to excellent yields were obtained using reasonable catalytic charge. The synthesis of a pheromone stemming from the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus was obtained by tandem addition-oxidation of 2-methylpentanal and the process was successfully applied to continuous flow on a multigram scale.

One-Pot Production of Lactic Acid from Acetol over Dealuminated Sn-Beta Supported Gold Catalyst

Staged biomass pyrolysis or condensation of the pyrolysis vapor generates less complex and concentrated liquid product streams, which provide a very promising route to produce value-added chemicals. Acetol is one of the major light oxygenates in fractionated bio-oil. Here we report an efficient one-pot conversion of acetol to lactic acid, a key platform chemical and an important monomer of biodegradable polymer, in aqueous phase over a bifunctional dealuminated Sn-Beta supported gold catalyst. Under relatively mild conditions (393 K, 1.9 MPa N2 + 0.1 MPa O2), 93.4% acetol conversion and 73.2% selectivity toward lactic acid were achieved. On the basis of measured rate constants, the reaction pathway likely proceeds via kinetically relevant oxidation of acetol to form pyruvaldehyde, followed by hydration and 1,2-hydride shift (internal Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction and Oppenauer oxidation) on Sn-Lewis sites to produce lactic acid.

The Remarkable Amphoteric Nature of Defective UiO-66 in Catalytic Reactions.

One of the major requirements in solid acid and base catalyzed reactions is that the reactants, intermediates or activated complexes cooperate with several functions of catalyst support. In this work the remarkable bifunctional behavior of the defective UiO‐66(Zr) metal organic framework is shown for acid‐base pair catalysis. The active site relies on the presence of coordinatively unsaturated zirconium sites, which may be tuned by removing framework linkers and by removal of water from the inorganic bricks using a dehydration treatment. To elucidate the amphoteric nature of defective UiO‐66, the Oppenauer oxidation of primary alcohols has been theoretically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and the periodic approach. The presence of acid and basic centers within molecular distances is shown to be crucial for determining the catalytic activity of the material. Hydrated and dehydrated bricks have a distinct influence on the acidity and basicity of the active sites. In any case both functions need to cooperate in a concerted way to enable the chemical transformation. Experimental results on UiO‐66 materials of different defectivity support the theoretical observations made in this work.

Catalytic Conversion of Renewable Resources into Bulk and Fine Chemicals.

Several strategies can be chosen to convert renewable resources into chemicals. In this account, I exemplify the route that starts with so-called platform chemicals; these are relatively simple chemicals that can be produced in high yield, directly from renewable resources, either via fermentation or via chemical routes. They can be converted into the existing bulk chemicals in a very efficient manner using multistep catalytic conversions. Two examples are given of the conversion of sugars into nylon intermediates. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) can be prepared in good yield from fructose. Two hydrogenation steps convert HMF into 1,6-hexanediol. Oppenauer oxidation converts this product into caprolactone, which in the past, has been converted into caprolactam in a large-scale industrial process by reaction with ammonia. An even more interesting platform chemical is levulinic acid (LA), which can be obtained directly from lignocellulose in good yield by treatment with dilute sulfuric acid at 200°C. Hydrogenation converts LA into gamma-valerolactone, which is ring-opened and esterified in a gas-phase process to a mixture of isomeric methyl pentenoates in excellent selectivity. In a remarkable selective palladium-catalysed isomerising methoxycarbonylation, this mixture is converted in to dimethyl adipate, which is finally hydrolysed to adipic acid. Overall selectivities of both processes are extremely high. The conversion of lignin into chemicals is a much more complicated task in view of the complex nature of lignin. It was discovered that breakage of the most prevalent β-O-4 bond in lignin occurs not only via the well-documented C3 pathway, but also via a C2 pathway, leading to the formation of highly reactive phenylacetaldehydes. These compounds went largely unnoticed as they immediately recondense on lignin. We have now found that it is possible to prevent this by converting these aldehydes in a tandem reaction, as they are formed. For this purpose, we have used three different methods: acetalisation, hydrogenation, and decarbonylation. These reactions were first established in the tandem reactions of model compounds, but subsequently, we were able to show that this works equally well on organosolv lignin and even on lignocellulose.

Indium(III) Isopropoxide as a Hydrogen Transfer Catalyst for Conversion of Benzylic Alcohols into Aldehydes or Ketones via Oppenauer Oxidation

Indium(III) isopropoxide [In(O i -Pr) 3 ] was applicable as an Oppenauer­ oxidation catalyst, and the conversion of primary or secondary alcohols into the corresponding aldehydes or ketones was promoted at room temperature using pivalaldehyde as an oxidant.

Thermodynamic Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction in the diastereoselective synthesis of 17α-estradiol

The synthesis of 17α-hydroxy steroids generally requires multiple synthetic manipulations. The synthesis of 17α-estradiol is no exception, as this process involves the protection and release of the 3-hydroxy functional group. The diastereoselective reduction of the 17-keto-steroid can be utilized to prepare 17α-hydroxy-steroids. Here, 17α-estradiol was synthesized from commercially available estrone under thermodynamic Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) conditions in a single step, followed by simple chromatographic separation over silica gel. The remaining mixture of unreacted estrone and estradiols was easily recycled through Oppenauer oxidation to estrone, with an overall yield of 68% 17α-estradiol.

ChemInform Abstract: Oxidative Coupling of Terminal Alkynes with Aldehydes Leading to Alkynyl Ketones by Using Indium(III) Bromide.

AbstractThe straightforward access to ynones proceeds trough nucleophilic addition and Oppenauer oxidation mediated by stoichiometric amounts of indium tribromide.

Magnesium salt promoted tandem nucleophilic addition–Oppenauer oxidation of aldehydes with organozinc reagents

A magnesium salt promoted synthesis of ketones via tandem nucleophilic addition-Oppenauer oxidation of aldehydes using organozinc chemistry was demonstrated. Magnesium salts concomitantly generated via magnesium metal mediated organohalide zincation exhibit high efficacy for nucleophilic addition of organozinc reagents to aromatic aldehydes and thereafter Oppenauer oxidation whereby ketones are formed in high to excellent yields.

Oxidative Coupling of Terminal Alkynes with Aldehydes Leading to Alkynyl Ketones by Using Indium(III) Bromide

An indium(III)-promoted direct acylation of terminal alkynes using aldehydes leading to ynones was developed. In contrast to the previous addition reactions of alkynes to aldehydes, which provide propargylic alcohols, the oxidative coupling proceeded exclusively to afford alkynyl ketones. The products were likely generated through an Oppenauer oxidation of the indium propargylic alkoxide species by excess amounts of aldehydes.

Synthesis of methoxycarbonylpyrazolylandrostene derivatives, and their potential inhibitory effect on androgen biosynthesis and cell proliferation

The Claisen condensations of 3β-acetoxypregn-5-en-20-one (1) and 3β-acetoxypregna-5,16-diene (7) with dimethyl oxalate are known to lead to 3β-hydroxy-21-methoxalylpregn-5-en-20-one (2) and 3β-hydroxy-21-methoxalylpregna-5,16-dien-20-one (8), respectively. The reactions of 2 with p-substituted phenylhydrazines afford pyrazol-5-yl derivatives (5) as main, and 3-yl regioisomers (4) as minor products. The corresponding reactions of 16-ene analogue 8 afford only pyrazol-5-yl regioisomer 9. Oppenauer oxidation of the pyrazolyl compounds yields the corresponding Δ4-3-ketosteroids. We investigated the antiandrogenic effects of new methoxycarbonylpyrazolyl compounds through determination of their in vitro inhibition of the activities of rat testicular C17,20-lyase, Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ5-3β-HSD) and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17β-HSD3). A Δ5-3β-hydroxy compound in the D-ring-saturated androst-5-ene series bearing an unsubstituted phenyl group on the pyrazolyl heterocycle (5a) proved to be a potent inhibitor of Δ5-3β-HSD. The 4-methoxyphenyl derivative (5e) and the 3-oxo counterpart (6a) of 5a also displayed substantial inhibition. The other tested compounds exerted only weak inhibitory action against the enzymes investigated. The newly synthetized compounds were evaluated in vitro by means of MTT assays for antiproliferative activity against Hela (cervical carcinoma), A431 (skin epidermoid carcinoma) and MCF7 (breast adenocarcinoma) cells. In all four groups (3β-hydroxy- and 3-ketosteroids with saturated or unsaturated ring D), the most potent analogs contain a 4-tolyl or 4-methoxyphenyl group. Compound 5d exhibited substantial antiproliferative action against the three cell lines investigated, whereas 9d inhibited the growth of Hela cells markedly. The most noteworthy inhibition was exerted by 6a against A431 cells.