An efficient, clean, chemoselective and solvent-free method for the synthesis of ketone and aldehyde dimethyl acetals was developed using trimethyl orthoformate and commercially available anhydrous CeCl3 as a recyclable catalyst. The method is general and affords the protected carbonyl compounds in good yields and under mild conditions, including aryl and alkyl ketones and activated aldehydes. The catalyst could be utilised directly for 3 cycles, without significant loss of activity.
cerium(III) chloride; acetals; trimethyl orthoformate; aldehydes; ketones
