Ketalization of Catechol with Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by Metal p-Toluenesulfonate as Biphasic Acid Catalyst*

Ketalization of catechol was studied with various carbonyl compounds using metal p-toluenesulfonate as biphasic catalysts. The results showed that copper p-toluenesulfonate was the most efficient catalysts for the reaction. The advantages of high activity, stability, reusability and low cost for the simple synthetic procedure made the catalyst one of the best choice for the reaction.