VO(OR)CL2-INDUCED OXIDATIVE AROMATIZATION OF ALPHA,BETA-UNSATURATED CYCLOHEXENONES

Vanadium compounds in a high oxidation state are considered to be versatile in oxidative transformations via one-electron transfer, but their synthetic utilization has been limited.1Our previous paper demonstrated that VO(OEt)C12 catalyzes the ring-opening oxygenation of cyclic ketones in an alcohol under oxygen.2 VO(OR)Cl2 appears to be a Lewis acid with oxidation capability. We here report that oxidative aromatization3 of α,β-unsaturated cyclohexenones to aryl ethers is achieved with VO-(OR)Cl2. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.