Molybdenum-Catalysed Deoxydehydration: Transforming Linear Aliphatic 1,2-Diols into Terminal Alkenes

Abstract

Molybdenum catalysts bearing ONO, ON(N)O, ON(O)N and ON(S)O ligands were studied for catalytic deoxydehydration of vicinal diols. The complex bearing N′,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)-N,N-dimethylethylenediamine ligand afforded full conversion and up to 97% selectivities towards alkenes, when aliphatic vicinal diols were subjected to the reaction at 5 mol% catalyst loading.