Process for the preparation of ketones by ozonolysis

1. Process for the preparation of a ketone from a tertiary alcohol having a double bond in the alpha position, comprising the step: contacting tertiary alcohol having a double bond in the alpha position with ozone in the presence of an inorganic base under ketone-forming reaction conditions.

2. Process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the alcohol is contacted with 1-3 molar equivalents of ozone per alcohol group to be treated.

3. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the base is added such that its equivalent concentration is 1 to 3 based on the alcohol group to be treated.

4. Process according to claim 1 wherein said base is chosen from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, NaHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , CaCO 3 or mixtures of two or more of these bases.

5. Process according to claim 1 wherein said alcohol is in an organic solvent and said base is employed in an aqueous solvent.

6. Process according to claim 1 wherein said reaction conditions comprise a reaction temperature in the range of from −78° C. to +30° C.

7. Process according to claim 1 wherein said alcohol has the general formula (Ia):

wherein:

R1 and R2 independently of one another denote an organic radical and the two radicals R1 and R2 together can form a ring,

R3 and R4 independently of one another can denote hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl or aryl and the two radicals together can form a ring and/or one or both of the radicals R3 and R4 can form a ring together with one or both of the radicals R1 and/or R2.

8. Process according to claim 1 wherein said alcohol is chosen from the group consisting of