Thanks for the feed back guys, as i've been told zinc is cheap but apart from pottery suppliers what or where would i go to purchase the zinc dust apart from chem supplies?
Have ample starting material and am looking at the following procedure as it suits the OTC type operation!!
C6H5CHO + CH3CH2COCH3 + HCl(g) ---> C6H5CH=C(COCH3)CH3
then the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation
C6H5CH=C(COCH3)CH3 + RCO3H ----> C6H5CH=C(OCOCH3)CH3
(wish i could get hold of nitrobenzene selenic acid) for the much better yeild!!!
Rhodium has there been any progress on this procedure?
Then the urushibara (ala antoncho via Direct Zn-Ni amination of ketones in 70% yield, who needs hydroxalamine) re post No 470154
Cheers one more time cowboys :-)