JPS6342711B

PURPOSE:To manufacture ketones in a high yield by continuously carrying out the oxidation of secondary alcohol in the presence of a ruthenium compound as a catalyst and the regeneration of the catalyst by electrolytic oxidation in the same electrolytic cell. CONSTITUTION:An electrolytic soln. contg. secondary alcohol and a higher valence ruthenium compound is electrolyzed in an electrolytic cell to produce ketones by catalytic oxidation as well as a lower valence ruthenium compound as a by-product. At the same time, the lower valence ruthenium compound is converted into a higher valence ruthenium compound by electrolytic oxidation. The converted higher valence ruthenium compound oxidizes secondary alcohol to ketones in the electrolytic cell, and the compound itself is converted into a lower valence ruthenium compound, which is electrolytically oxidized to a higher valence ruthenium compound. By repeating the reactions, ketones are manufactured from secondary alcohol in a high yield.