Synthesis 2004(2): 161-201  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815914
REVIEW
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

β-Oxidation of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

Toby J. Sommer
Dept. of Biochemistry MS 009, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
Fax: +1(781)7362349; e-Mail: tsommer@brandeis.edu;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 10 July 2003
Publication Date:
13 January 2004 (online)

Abstract

The replacement of a β-hydrogen on an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl system with a non-hydrogen, non-carbon atom amounts to either a net two electron oxidation or an isohypsic substitution at the β-carbon. The resulting compounds are the functional equivalents of β-dicarbonyl derivatives. Although many methods have been developed to effect this transformation, they lack generality and the process remains an underutilized one in organic synthesis.

1 Introduction

1.1 Scope

1.2 Organization

1.3 General Strategies

2 Oxygen

2.1 Direct Oxidation

2.2 Addition-Oxidation

2.3 Epoxide Rearrangement

2.3.1 Acid Catalyzed, Base Catalyzed, Thermal Isomerizations

2.3.2 Photolytic Isomerization

2.3.3 Enzymatic Isomerization

2.3.4 Palladium Catalyzed (Noyori) Rearrangement

2.3.5 Eschenmoser Fragmentation and Related Reactions

2.4 Oxidation of Aldols and Acetaldols

2.5 Addition-Elimination

2.6 Selenium Mediated Reactions

2.7 Isohypsic Rearrangement

2.8 Other Oxidations

3 Nitrogen

3.1 Direct Amination

3.2 Addition-Oxidation

3.3 Addition-Elimination

3.4 Reductive Addition

3.5 Isoxazoles

3.6 Nitration

3.7 Azides

3.8 Ene-Isomerization

3.9 Aziridine and Azide Rearrangement

4 Sulfur

4.1 Episulfides (Thiiranes) or Episulfoniums

4.2 Addition-Oxidation

4.3 Addition-Elimination

4.4 Metalation-Sulfenylation

4.5 Oxidative Addition-Elimination

4.6 Isohypsic Rearrangement

5 Halogen

5.1 Oxidative Addition-Elimination

5.2 Addition-Oxidation

5.3 Umpolung-Halogenation

6 Phosphorus

7 Silicon

7.1 Direct Silylation

7.2 Metalation-Silylation

8 Metals

8.1 Direct Metalation

9 Carbon

10 Other Elements

11 Heteroatom Exchange

12 Conclusion

88

Sommer, T. J. unpublished results.

265

See ref. 37.