Patent ID: 7262328

Claim:
A process for preparing a.) aldehydes of the formula (II) and b.) ketones of the formula (III) R 1 —CHO (II) R 1 —C(O)—R (III) said process comprising reacting a reaction solution comprising a starting compound selected from a.) primary alcohols (R 1 CH 2 —OH) or b.) secondary alcohols (R 1 —CH(OH)—R 2 ) with cyclic phosphonic anhydrides in the presence of dialkyl sulfoxides, diaryl sulfoxides and/or alkyl aryl sulfoxides at a temperature in the range from −100 to +120° C., where R 1 and/or R 2 are each a substituted linear or branched C 1 -C 12 -alkyl radical, a substituted C 3 -C 10 -cycloalkyl, -alkenyl, -aryl or -heteroaryl radical.