Aerobic alcohol lactonization by gold-nanoparticles supported onto an anion-exchange resin

Lactones are of considerable interest since they have a great deal of applications.[1] Traditionally, they are accessible by either activating ?-hydroxyacids with stoichiometric amounts of organic reagents or by using toxic metal containing reagents such as tin-based compounds.[2] In light of increasing environmental concerns regarding synthetic processes, the development of "green" catalytic reactions that use air or oxygen as the only oxidizing agent in combination with recyclable catalysts is fundamental for their industrial application.[3] Commercially available basic anion-exchange resins in combination with Au-nanoparticles (Au-NPs) are shown to be capable of carrying out different catalytic reactions ranging from carboxylation of amines [4] and epoxides [5] to the aerobic oxidation of polyols to give carboxylates.[6,7] In this presentation the results obtained from catalytic conversion of ?,?-diols to lactones carried out under aerobic experimental conditions in the presence of Au-NPs supported onto a macroporous Dowex Marathon MSA anion-exchange resin will be shown. [1] A. Parenty, X. Moreau, J.-M. Campagne, Chem. Rev. 2006, 106, 911. [2] K. Steliou, M.-A. Poupart, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1983, 105, 7130. [3] T. Mallat, A. Baiker, Chem. Rev. 2004, 104, 3037. [4] T. Isida, M. Haruta, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 7154. [5] F. Shi, Q. Zhang, Y. Ma, Y. He, Y. Deng, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 4182. [6] A. Villa, C. E. Chan-Thaw, L. Prati, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 2010, 96, 541. [7] T. Ishida, S. Okamoto, R. Makiyama, M. Haruta, Appl. Catal. A: Gen. 2009, 353, 243.