Preparation of aliphatic ketones through a ruthenium-catalyzed tandem cross-metathesis/allylic alcohol isomerization.

Grubbs' 2nd generation and Hoveyda-Grubbs' ruthenium alkylidenes are shown to be effective catalysts for cross-metatheses of allylic alcohols with cyclic and acyclic olefins, as well as isomerization of the resulting allylic alcohols to alkyl ketones. The net result of this new tandem methodology is a single-flask process that provides highly functionalized, ketone-containing products from simple allylic alcohol precursors. [reaction: see text]