A mild conversion from 3-vinyl- to 3-formyl-chlorophyll derivatives

Abstract The C3-vinyl group of a chlorophyll derivative, methyl pyropheophorbide- a , was converted into the formyl group by a novel one-pot reaction with thiophenol at room temperature. The mild reaction can provide insight into development of ‘green’ catalysts displacing OsO 4 or O 3 , and into elucidation of unknown biosynthetic processes of chlorophyll- d .