Alkene Oxidation

Source: Vy M. Dong and Zhiwei Chen, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA This experiment will demonstrate an example of an ozonolysis reaction to synthesize vanillin from isoeugenol (Figure 1). Ozonolysis of alkenes, an oxidation reaction between ozone and an alkene, is a common method to prepare aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids. This experiment also demonstrates the use of an ozone generator and a low temperature (−78 °C) reaction. Figure 1. Diagram showing...

In addition to the oxymercuration–demercuration method, which converts the alkenes to alcohols with Markovnikov orientation, a complementary hydroboration-oxidation method yields the anti-Markovnikov product. The hydroboration reaction, discovered in 1959 by H.C. Brown, involves the addition of a B–H bond of borane to an alkene giving an organoborane intermediate. The oxidation of this intermediate with basic hydrogen peroxide forms an alcohol. Borane as a reagent is very reactive, as the...

In ozonolysis, ozone is used to cleave a carbon–carbon double bond to form aldehydes and ketones, or carboxylic acids, depending on the work-up. Ozone is a symmetrical bent molecule stabilized by a resonance structure. Ozonolysis proceeds through an oxidative cleavage reaction. The first step is the electrophilic addition of ozone across the alkene double bond, forming an unstable molozonide intermediate, which reacts further to form a carbonyl and a carbonyl oxide. These intermediates...

Alkenes are converted to 1,2-diols or glycols through a process called dihydroxylation. It involves the addition of two hydroxyl groups across the double bond with two different stereochemical approaches, namely anti and syn. Dihydroxylation using osmium tetroxide progresses with syn stereochemistry. Syn Dihydroxylation Mechanism The reaction comprises a two-step mechanism. It begins with the addition of osmium tetroxide across the alkene double bond in a concerted manner forming a...

Alkenes can be dihydroxylated using potassium permanganate. The method encompasses the reaction of an alkene with a cold, dilute solution of potassium permanganate under basic conditions to form a cis-diol along with a brown precipitate of manganese dioxide. The mechanism begins with the syn addition of a permanganate ion (MnO4−) across the same side of the alkene π bond, forming a cyclic manganate ester intermediate. Next, the hydrolysis of the cyclic ester with water gives a cis-diol with...