The Baeyer-Villiger rearrangement with metal triflates: new developments toward mechanism

Based on MS analysis, the mechanism of the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones with hydrogen peroxide using metal triflates (Ga(OTf)(3)and Er(OTf)(3)) as catalysts was proposed. In the case of cyclohexanone as a substrate, dimeric, trimeric and tetrameric peroxide structures were detected.