Oxidation of ketone by palladium(II). α-Hydroxyketone synthesis catalyzed by a bimetallic palladium(II) complex

A bimetallic palladium(II) complex containing a triketone ligand and a bridging dinitrogen ligand oxidizes ketones in aqueous THF to α-hydroxyketone by a direct air oxidation. While the normal synthesis of α-hydroxyketones involves a series of reactions, this synthesis performs the transformation in one step in a catalytic air oxidation. This synthesis does not involve an olefin and is almost unprecedented in transition metal catalysis. Its main virtue is its simplicity and actually it is an enolization reaction. Methanesulfonic acid is used to accelerate the enolization of ketones. The reaction is carried out in the presence of CuCl2 and/or dioxygen only. In particular, it is found that the hydroxyketone formation does not require the presence of CuCl2. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) are used to record the mass spectra of α-hydroxyketones products. α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) matrix promoted the molecular ion detection when 180 pmol of α-hydroxyketones is introduced into the TOFMS.