Efficient and convenient oxidation of organic halides to carbonyl compounds by H2O2 in ethanol

Various primary and secondary organic bromides were oxidized by hydrogen peroxide in refluxing ethanol to give the corresponding aldehydes/and ketones in high yield up to 94%; organic chlorides were oxidized to the corresponding aldehydes/and ketones by the same oxidant in ethanol in the presence of 10 mol % of KBr as the catalyst.