The oxidation of tertiary homoallylic alcohols with thallium trinitrate (TTN) was investigated. The alcohols bearing an allylic methyl group lose a molecule of acetone via a fragmentation reaction that leads to isomeric secondary allylic alcohols as major products, together with their corresponding acetylated derivatives. On the other hand, treating analogous tertiary alcohols without the allylic methyl group with TTN gives indans, through a ring contraction reaction.
thallium trinitrate; ring contraction; homoallylic alcohols; fragmentation reaction; indan
