Convenient Wacker oxidations with substoichiometric cupric acetate

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)01992-3

A modification of the Wacker oxidation of terminal olefins to methyl ketones using substoichiometric amounts of Cu(OAc)₂ as a redox shuttle reagent is described. The modified procedure is generally high yielding despite reduced levels of copper salt and convenient. Importantly, in a problematic case, the conditions suppressed acidic hydrolysis during oxidation of substrate (+)-5 containing an acetonide.