Synthesis of Enones and Enals via Dehydrogenation of Saturated Ketones and Aldehydes

A general, efficient and economic palladium-catalyzed dehydrogenation to form enones or enals has been developed. The approach possesses extremely broad substrate scope including various linear or cyclic saturated ketones and aldehydes. The protocol is ligand-free, and molecular oxygen is used as the sole clean oxidant in the reaction. Due to mild reaction conditions, good functional group compatibility, and versatile utilities of enones and enals, the method can be applied in the late-stage synthesis of natural products, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.