Direct Conversion of Alcohols to α‑Chloro Aldehydes and α‑Chloro Ketones

Direct conversion of primary and secondary alcohols into the corresponding α-chloro aldehydes and α-chloro ketones using trichloroisocyanuric acid, serving both as stoichiometric oxidant and α-halogenating reagent, is reported. For primary alcohols, TEMPO has to be added as an oxidation catalyst, and for the transformation of secondary alcohols (TEMPO-free protocol), MeOH as an additive is essential to promote chlorination of the intermediary ketones.