Preparation of saturated ketone morphinan compounds

A process for the preparation of a compound of Formula (III), the process comprising contacting a compound of Formula (II) with an inorganic salt of a late transition metal in the presence of a protic solvent to form the compound of Formula (III):

• wherein:
• A is a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen and sulfur;
• R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, protected hydroxy, {—}SH, {—}SR1611, {—}OR1611, and {—}NR1611 R1612 hydrocarbyl, and substituted hydrocarbyl;
• R5, R7, R8, R9, R10a, R10b, R14, R15aR15b, R16a, R16b, and R17 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, {—}SH, {-}SR1611, {—}OR1611, and {—}NR1611 R1612, hydrocarbyl, and substituted hydrocarbyl;
• provided that any of R10a and R10b, R15a and R15b, and R16a and R16b may together form a moiety selected from the group consisting of {═}O, {═}S, and {═}NR1613;
• R1611, R1612, and R1613 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl, and substituted hydrocarbyl;
• one or more of R1, R2, R3, R5, R7, R8, R9, R10a, R10b, R14, R15a, R15b, R16a, and R16b may form part of a ring or ring system chosen from carbocyclic, heterocyclic, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof;
• and
• Z is an anion, and
• wherein the weight:weight ratio of the protic solvent to the compound of Formula (II) is from 2:1 to 4:1.