10.1016/S0040-4020(01)97207-2
The research investigates the use of 2-pyridineseleninic anhydride as an efficient reagent for converting olefins to unsaturated ketones while retaining the original position of the double bond. This reagent is more reactive towards olefins than benzeneseleninic anhydride. The study was inspired by the observation that the model alkyl-2’-pyridylselenide underwent allylic oxidation by 2-pyridineseleninic anhydride generated in situ from the oxidation of dipyridyldiselenide with iodoxybenzene. The researchers tested this hypothesis using various model olefins and found that 2-pyridineseleninic anhydride, conveniently introduced as 2,2’-dipyridyldiselenide, effectively catalyzed the allylic oxidation of olefins to ketones. The study also explored the use of m-iodoxybenzoic acid and iodosobenzene as oxidants and demonstrated the system's effectiveness on various substrates, including cholesteryl benzoate and geraniol acetate. The research highlights the potential of this new allylic oxidation system based on an organoselenium catalyst for clean and selective oxidation of olefins without the need for aqueous work-up.