Catalytic rearrangement of an aliphatic hydroperoxide

Metal triflates such as Sn(Otf)(2) and La(Otf)(3) act as efficient catalysts for cleaving 2,4,4,-trimethyl-pentane-2hydroperoxide into neopentyl alcohol and acetone in sulpholane. Compared to H2SO4, the conventional catalyst for hydroperoxide rearrangement, the metal triflates achieve higher turnover numbers because they are less sensitive towards poisoning by the reaction product. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.