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Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation and Hydrogen Production in the Ketonization of Aldehydes
Author(s) -
Orozco Lina M.,
Renz Michael,
Corma Avelino
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201600654
Subject(s) - chemistry , aldehyde , decarboxylation , carboxylic acid , hydride , disproportionation , catalysis , organic chemistry , heptanal , photochemistry , hydrogen , inorganic chemistry
Aldehydes possess relatively high chemical energy, which is the driving force for disproportionation reactions such as Cannizzaro and Tishchenko reactions. Generally, this energy is wasted if aldehydes are transformed into carboxylic acids with a sacrificial oxidant. Here, we describe a cascade reaction in which the surplus energy of the transformation is liberated as molecular hydrogen for the oxidation of heptanal to heptanoic acid by water, and the carboxylic acid is transformed into potentially industrially relevant symmetrical ketones by ketonic decarboxylation. The cascade reaction is catalyzed by monoclinic zirconium oxide ( m ‐ZrO 2 ). The reaction mechanism has been studied through cross‐coupling experiments between different aldehydes and acids, and the final symmetrical ketones are formed by a reaction pathway that involves the previously formed carboxylic acids. Isotopic studies indicate that the carboxylic acid can be formed by a hydride shift from the adsorbed aldehyde on the metal oxide surface in the absence of noble metals.