A Direct Amine-Palladium Acetate Cocatalyzed Saegusa Oxidation Reaction of Unmodified Aldehydes to alpha,beta-Unsaturated Aldehydes

A direct preparation of synthetically useful alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes from readily available aldehydes has been developed. The process is effectively cocatalyzed by an amine-palladium acetate to give rise to alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes in moderate to good yields (41-62%). The reaction features the use of unmodified aldehydes rather than enol silyl ethers, which are used in a typical Saegusa oxidation reaction.