The Role of Acid Catalysis in the Baeyer-Villiger Reaction. A Theoretical Study

Quantum mechanical calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level have examined the overall mechanism of the Baeyer-Villiger (BV) reaction with peroxyacetic acid. A series of reactions that include both the addition step and the subsequent alkyl group migration step included ketones, acetone, t-butyl methyl ketone, acetophenone, cyclohexyl methyl ketone, and cyclohexyl phenyl ketone. The combined data suggested that the first step for addition of the peroxyacetic acid oxidation catalyst to the ketone carbonyl to produce the Criegee or tetrahedral intermediate is rate-limiting and has activation barriers that range from 38 to 41 kcal/mol without the aid of a catalyst. The rate of addition is markedly reduced by the catalytic action of a COOH functionality acting as a donor-acceptor group affecting both its proton transfer to the ketone C=O oxygen in concert with transfer of the OOH proton to the carboxylic acid carbonyl. The second or alkyl group migration step has a much reduced activation barrier, and its rate is not markedly influenced by acid catalysis. The rate of both steps in the BV reaction is greatly influenced by the catalytic action of very strong acids.