SELECTIVE ACTIVATION AND FUNCTIONALIZATION OF TERMINAL ALKYL CARBON-HYDROGEN BONDS

摘要

A process to prepare a selectively functionalized alkane includes contacting an alkane with a catalyst having the composition Cp"M(NO)(alkyl)(?3-allyl) wherein Cp" is ?5-cyclopentadienyl, a substituted ?5-cyclopentadienyl or an analogous ?5-indenyl group or an analogous ?5-fluorenyl group, M is W or Mo, and alkyl and ?3-allyl are each independently substituted alkyl and ?3-allyl ligands, respectively, to form an alkyl complex; reacting the alkyl complex with a carbonylation agent to form an acyl complex; and decomplexing the acyl complex to form an alkane having a functionalized terminal C-H bond and to regenerate the catalyst. The process may be carried out in a single reactor or in a series of 2 or 3 reactors, and the functionalized alkane and catalyst may be conveniently separated thereafter.