Oxidative cleavage of Csingle bondC bond of 2-phenylpropionaldehyde using molecular oxygen

Oxidative Csingle bondC bond cleavage between carbonyl carbon and vicinal carbon of 2-phenylpropionaldehyde to give acetophenone using 1 atm molecular oxygen as oxidant was catalyzed by Ce(IV), V(IV) and Brønsted acids. Among the examined catalysts, sulfuric acid exhibited the highest activity and gave the product in 99% yield.