Iodine as a catalyst for efficient conversion of ketones to gem-dihydroperoxides by aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

Iodine has been shown to be an efficient catalyst for the selective dihydroperoxidation of ketones with aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Ketones were directly converted to their corresponding gem-dihydroperoxides using a "green" oxidant (30% aq H(2)O(2)) and a simple catalyst (iodine) under neutral conditions in acetonitrile. The yield of hydroperoxidation of various cyclic ketones was 60-98% including androstane-3,17-dione, and acyclic ketones were converted with a similar efficiency. [reaction: see text]