Process for the catalytic oxidation of isoprenoids having allylic groups
AssigneeHoffman-La Roche Inc.
InventorsJoseph Foricher, Claude Furbringer, Karlheinz Pfoertner
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a process for the catalytic oxidation of an isoprenoid containing at least one allylic hydrogen atom, which process comprises reacting the isoprenoid with oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas in an inert solvent in the presence of a N-hydroxydicarboxylic acid imide of the formula ##STR1## wherein A-B stands for CH.sub.2 -CH.sub.2, CH.dbd.CH, an aromatic hydrocarbon residue or a group derived from one of these groups in which one or more hydrogen atoms is/are replaced by alkyl or halogen, to produce a primary of secondary hydroperoxide. The process of the invention is suitable for the manufacture of steroids, vitamins, odorant substances, carotinoids and the like.
Claims11
A process for the catalytic oxidation of an isoprenoid which has at least one allylic hydrogen atom, which process comprises oxidizing said isoprenoid with oxygen or a gas which contains oxygen, in an inert solvent, in the absence of a basic compound or a compound with an acidic hydrogen and in the presence of a N-hydroxydicarboxylic acid imide of the formula ##STR11## wherein A-B stands for CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2, CH.dbd.CH, a diradical group which is derived from an aromatic hydrocarbon whereby positions of diradicals of the group are ortho- or peri-position to each other, or a group which is derived from the diradical group having at least one hydrogen atom unsubstituted or substituted with alkyl or halogen, to produce a hydroperoxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.