Facile Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones: conventional versus microwave-assisted approach.

The Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones (I) to the corresponding lactones (II) can be improved using m -CPBA under microwave dielectric heating. A dramatic reduction of time—3 min compared to 5 days at room temperature—was observed to transform cycloheptanone into oxocan-2-one. Ω-Hydroxyalkyl hydroxamic acids (III), key intermediates for a rapid access to potent histone deacetylase inhibitors, are obtained in one-pot reaction of lactones using the Weinreb amidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]