Metal-Free Reductive Cleavage of C-O σ-bonds in Acyloin Derivatives by an Organic Neutral Super-Electron-Donor
Sylvain P. Y. Cutulic, Neil J. Findlay, Sheng-Ze Zhou, Ewan J. T. Chrystal and John A. Murphy*
*WestCHEM, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry,
University of Strathclyde, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, UK, Email: john.murphystrath.ac.uk
S. P. Y. Cutulic, N. J. Findlay, S.-Z. Zhou, E. J. T. Chrystal, J. A. Murphy, J. Org. Chem., 2009, 74, 8713-8718.
DOI: 10.1021/jo901815t
see article for more reactions
Abstract
A pyridinylidene carbene dimer effects reductive cleavage of C-O σ-bonds in acyloin derivatives, which represents the first cleavage of C-O σ-bonds by a neutral organic electron-donor. The methodology is applicable to a large array of substrates and the reduced products were isolated in good to excellent yields.
see article for more examples
proposed mechanism
S. P. Y. Cutulic, J. A. Murphy, H. Farwaha, S.-Z. Zhou, E. Chrystal, Synlett, 2008, 2132-2136.
Key Words
electron transfer, acyloins, deoxygenation, pyridinylidenes
ID: J42-Y2009-3320