Novel and Efficient Isomerization of Allylic Alcohols Promoted by a Tetrapropylammonium Perruthenate Catalyst.

In the absence of an oxidant, tetrapropylammonium perruthenate (TPAP) is reduced by 2-undecanol to a low-valent ruthenium species that efficiently catalyzes the isomerization of a wide range of allylic alcohols into the corresponding saturated carbonyl derivatives [Eq. (1)]. R, R, R, R=alkyl, aryl, H.