Benzils are used as building blocks for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, 1 photoinitiators for the free-radical curing of polymer networks, 2 and precursors of porphyrins. 3 The direct oxidation of benzoins to benzils is a simple straightforward method and has been accomplished by using several oxidizing agents such as nitric acid, 4 ammonium nitrate-copper(II) acetate, 5 thallium(III) nitrate, 6 iodoxybenzene, 7 oxone-alumina, 8 bismuth(III) nitrate-copper(II) ...