| Abstract
| - Alkylbenzene side chains are oxidized at the benzylic positionwhen treated under heterogeneousconditions with permanganate adsorbed on a solid support. Theproducts are alcohols if the benzyliccarbon is tertiary, or ketones if it is secondary. Carbon−carbonbond cleavage, which usually occurswhen these same compounds are oxidized by permanganate underhomogeneous conditions, doesnot occur. A unique selectivity is observed for the oxidation ofderivatives of indane, 1, and tetralin,2, in which one of the methylenes is replaced by an oxygen.If the oxygen is in the α-position, noreaction occurs; if it is in the β-position, good yields of thecorresponding lactone are obtained. Amechanism consistent with the observed selectivity has beenproposed.
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