Palladium-catalyzed conjugate reduction of enones into alpha,beta-dideuterioketones with hexamethyldisilane and deuterium oxide.

Conjugated enones are reduced by readily available Me(3)SiSiMe(3) and D(2)O in the presence of a catalytic amount of [PdCl(eta(3)-C(3)H(5))](2)-PPh(3) to give alpha,beta-dideuterioketones.

Palladium-catalyzed silylation of alcohols with hexamethyldisilane.

The combination of hexamethyldisilane and a catalytic amount of [PdCl(eta3-C3H5)]2-PPh3 was found to be effective for the trimethylsilylation of alcohols, where both of the two trimethylsilyl groups of hexamethyldisilane were transferred to alcohols without coproduction of any stoichiometric amount of byproduct but H2.

Reduction of alkynes into 1,2-dideuterioalkenes with hexamethyldisilane and deuterium oxide in the presence of a palladium catalyst.

A combination of hexamethyldisilane and deuterium oxide was found to work as a deuterium transfer reagent for alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of a palladium complex to give (E)-1,2-dideuterioalkenes selectively through the corresponding (Z)-isomer.

Practical Oppenauer (OPP) oxidation of alcohols with a modified aluminum catalyst.

[reaction: see text] Modified aluminum catalyst 2 was found to be highly effective for Oppenauer (OPP) oxidation of alcohols under mild conditions. For example, oxidation of carveol in toluene with t-BuCHO (1.2 equiv) as a hydride acceptor in the presence of 2 (1 mol %) proceeded smoothly at 21 degrees C to give carvone in 94% yield after 1 h.