title: Ytterbium triflate-promoted tandem one-pot oxidation-Cannizzaro reaction of aryl methyl ketones.
abstract: [reaction: see text] Ytterbium triflate was shown to be an effective catalyst in promoting the synthesis of either isopropyl esters or free alpha-hydroxy-arylacetic acids from substituted aromatic glyoxals and aryl methyl ketones, respectively. The reaction to provide acids starting from differently substituted ketones was carried out by an environmentally friendly method using an aqueous medium as a solvent and giving the adducts in 78-99% yield without any further purification after the usual workup.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Sezione di Chimica Organica, Via del Liceo, 06123 Perugia, Italy. curmax@unipg.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Curini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Epifano
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genovese
authors.forename: M Carla
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marcotullio
authors.forename: Ornelio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rosati