The direct iodination of some ketones using iodine-cerium (IV) ammonium nitrate in acetic acid or acetonitrile gave the corresponding α, α′-diiodoketones in good yield. In the case of cyclododecanone (4), 3-pentanone (5), and 5-nonanone (6), cis-(meso-) compounds [2, 12- diiodocyclododecanone (12), 2, 4-diiodo-3-pentanone (13), and 4, 6-diiodo-5-nonanone (14)] were obtained preferentially.
