Efficient Hydrodehalogenation of α-Haloketones with Cerium(III) Iodide

Abstract

Our effort in uncovering synthetic utility of lanthanides has touched on cerium(IV) oxidation of organic compounds.¹ Recognizing the hardness of these cations, e. g. _m (La³⁺) 4.51 ev,² which underlies the differential LIS of nmr signals^3,4,5 for protons situated nearby the various complexing functional groups and is responsible for, in their presence, the regioselective borohydride reduction of conjugated enones,^6,7 we have devised a mild method for hydrodehalogenating α-haloketones.