A structure–activity relationship study on the Wacker oxidation of stilbenes at ambient condition

To evaluate which structural elements of the stilbenes are responsible for their activity on the Wacker oxidation, a series of stilbenes with various functional moieties and substitution patterns were considered. In this regard, it is found that the oxidation rate of stilbenes strongly depends on their structures to give the corresponding carbonyl compounds. Consequently, the ortho position of alkene and methoxy groups plays a key role in the complexation with PdCl2. The oxidation process is clean with high selectivity of product and low percentage of byproducts.