Iron(III) chloride hexahydrate-promoted selective hydroxylation and chlorination of benzyl ketone derivatives for the construction of heteroquaternary scaffolds

A novel and tunable alpha-hydroxylation/alpha-chlorination of benzyl ketone derivatives has been developed for the construction of hetero-quaternary carbon centers by iron(III) chloride hexahydrate mediated selective transformations through the application of different oxidants, especially the crystal water in the catalyst as an OH source is firstly reported in this hydroxylation.