The use of ruthenium tetroxide in the oxidation of organic compounds is becoming increasingly more popular. It has been used primarily in the oxidation of alkenes to aldehydes, acids, or ketones, l alkynes to a-diketones, 2 primary alcohols to a~ ids. l,~ secondary alcohols to ketone~,~,~ acyclic ethers to esters, and cyclic ethers to lact0nes. l Ruthenium tetroxide readily oxidizes aromatic systems, but is unreactive toward ...
