An osmium-assisted process for the oxidative cleavage of oxidizable organic
compounds such as unsaturated organic compounds, including alkenes and
olefins into aldehydes, carboxylic acids, esters, or ketones. The process
uses a metal catalyst comprising osmium and a peroxy compound selected
from the group consisting of peroxymonosulfuric acid and salts thereof to
oxidatively cleave the oxidizable organic compound. In particular, the
process enables aldehydes, carboxylic acids, esters, or ketones to be
selectively produced from the corresponding mono-, 1,1-di-, 1,2-di-, tri-,
or tetra-substituted olefins in a reaction that produces the result of
ozonolysis but with fewer problems. The present invention further provides
a process for oxidizing an aldehyde alone or with the osmium in an
interactive solvent to produce an ester or carboxylic acid.
