Praseodymium-Induced Pinacol Formation

Abstract

In an attempt to regenerate Ti(0) from TiO_x for possible application in a catalytic McMurry coupling reaction, a praseodymium-based pinacol reaction was uncovered. This reaction formed the two products 2,3-diphenyl-2,3-butanediol (3) and α,β-dimethyl-α-phenyl-β-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]-benzene-ethanol (6) in a 1:3 ratio.

Keywords:

• Cross-coupling
• pinacol
• praseodymium

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Niagara University Academic Center for Integrated Science and the Rochester Academy of Science for their financial support.

Notes

^a Nonisolated yields, percentage via ¹HNMR.

^a Nonisolated yields, percentage via ¹HNMR.

^a Nonisolated yields, percentage via ¹HNMR.