Electrochemical oxidation of alkyl aromatic compounds

摘要

Aromatic ketones may be prepared by subjecting an alkyl aromatic compound containing more than one carbon atom in the alkyl substituent to an electrical energy which includes a direct electrical current in the presence of a nucleophile such as an organometallic oxide, a solvent and a reaction initiator such as an alkali metal hydroxide and a quaternary ammonium hydroxide to produce a ketal, following which the ketal may be converted to the desired ketone by hydrolysis.