Direct oxidative cleavage of alpha- and beta-dicarbonyls and alpha-hydroxyketones to diesters with KHSO5.

Presented is a methodology to oxidatively cleave alpha-hydroxyketones and alpha- or beta-diones using the environmentally benign reagent KHSO(5), prepared easily from Oxone, to diesters in one simple transformation. In addition, we undertook a mechanistic study to provide a plausible mechanistic interpretation. These reactions may prove to be valuable alternatives to other related metal-mediated processes.