Driving Catalyst Reoxidation in Wacker Cyclizations with Acetal-Based Metal-Hydride Abstractors.

In traditional Wacker processes, Pd(II) becomes reduced to Pd(0) after C-O bond formation and β-H elimination and must be reoxidized to the electrophilic Pd(II) state via a stoichiometric oxidant like benzoquinone, CuCl(2), or O(2). We report herein a Pt-catalyzed Wacker-type process that regenerates the electrophilic Pt(2+) state by H(-) abstraction from a [Pt]-H using an oxocarbenium ion generated from an acetal or ketal under acidic conditions.