title: One-pot, two-step desymmetrization of symmetrical benzils catalyzed by the methylsulfinyl (dimsyl) anion.
abstract: An operationally simple one-pot, two-step procedure for the desymmetrization of benzils is herein described. This consists in the chemoselective cross-benzoin reaction of symmetrical benzils with aromatic aldehydes catalyzed by the methyl sulfinyl (dimsyl) anion, followed by microwave-assisted oxidation of the resulting benzoylated benzoins with nitrate, avoiding the costly isolation procedure. Both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents may be accommodated on the aromatic rings of the final unsymmetrical benzil.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Laboratorio di Chimica Organica, Via Fossato di Mortara 17, 44121 Ferrara, Italy. olga.bortolini@unife.it alessandro.massi@unife.it.
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Ragno
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Bortolini
authors: Pier Paolo
authors: PP
authors: Giovannini
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Massi
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Pacifico
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Zaghi
mesh_terms: D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry*; D001573:Benzoin / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D002625:Chemistry, Organic / Q000379:methods*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010658:Phenylglyoxal / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds; D001573:Benzoin; D010658:Phenylglyoxal; C006697:benzil