BISMUTH(III) CARBOXYLATES AS CATALYSTS IN THE OXIDATIVE CLEAVAGE OF EPOXIDES AND ALPHA-HYDROXYKETONES - A TENTATIVE ROUTE TO ALPHA,OMEGA-DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS

Several Bi(III) oxocarboxylates have been obtained through reaction of Bi2O3, with various monocarboxylic acids, HL, derived from salicylic acid and its amino analog, anthranilic acid. These LBiO oxocarboxylate s, which were characterized mainly by infrared spectroscopy, catalyze the oxidative C-C cleavage of styrene oxide in DMSO to benzoic acid. T he most active compound, 3, derived from 5-nitrosalicylic acid, togeth er with the known bismuth(III) mandelate, [(mandH)(2)Bi](2)(mu-O), and bismuth(III) phtha[ate, [(phthal)Bi(OH)], were reacted with cyclohexe ne oxide and alpha-hydroxycyclohexanone: the selected bismuth carboxyl ates are catalysts for the oxidative cleavage of the latter substrates to adipic acid. The highest selectivities were found for bismuth mand elate.