Efficient and selective catalytic oxidative cleavage of alpha-hydroxy ketones using vanadium-based HPA and dioxygen

The combination of H3+n[PMo12-nVnO40]. aq (HPA- n, n = 3) and dioxygen provides a clean and regioselective reagent for the homolytic cleavage of various representative a hydroxy ketones (primary to tertiary) and turns out to be as efficient for the catalytic ring opening of chiral natural products.