Ruthenium-mediated oxidation under buffered conditions: a simple and useful protocol for the synthesis of norbornyl α-diketones with acid sensitive functionalities

The supported ruthenium-catalyzed oxidation of the 1,2-dihaloalkene moiety in tetrahalonorbornyl derivatives possessing acid labile functionalities to afford the corresponding α-diketones is demonstrated. The protocol was successfully applied in the synthesis of a cyclopenta-annulated δ-lactone derived from D-mannitol