Fe-HCl: An Efficient Reagent for Deprotection of Oximes as well as Selective Oxidative Hydrolysis of Nitroalkenes and Nitroalkanes to Ketones

Fe-HCl mixture was found to selectively perform oxidative hydrolysis of the nitroalkenes la-j and nitroalkanes 2a-j to the ketones 3a-j. Also, the reagent was observed to deprotect the oximes 7a-j to carbonyl compounds 8a-j in excellent yields.