A simple and efficient procedure has been developed for the oxidation
of cyclic and acyclic acetals to the corresponding hydroxyalkyl
carboxylic esters and simple esters, respectively. 2-Iodoxybenzoic
acid (IBX) in the presence of tetraethylammonium bromide was employed
for the reaction in aqueous media. The salient features of the protocol
include short reaction time, environmentally benign reagents and
solvent, and moderate to high yields.
o-iodoxybenzoic acid - acetals - oxidations - hydroxyalkyl esters - alcohols