Borrowing hydrogen: Novel chemistry of alcohols

ORGN 453

Paul A. Slatford, P.Slatford@bath.ac.uk, Jonathan M. J. Williams, Nathan A. Owston, nao20@bath.ac.uk, and Simon J. Pridmore, ch1sjp@bath.ac.uk. Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
Transfer hydrogenation and Catalytic Electronic Activation have been a theme in our group for some years. Alcohols can be readily “activated” by oxidation to their corresponding carbonyl compound, enabling further elaboration utilising the extensive chemistry of the carbonyl group. We have been able to show that, in a one-pot reaction, alcohols can be used as substrates for C–C bond formation via an intermediate alkene which is subsequently hydrogenated. Two novel examples of extensions to this chemistry will be discussed; the formation of furans (eq 1), and the conversion of alcohols to nitriles (eq 2).

 

Modern Acetylene Chemistry
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Tuesday, 12 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Hall D, Poster

Division of Organic Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006