Lead(IV) acetate

Lead(IV) acetate or lead tetraacetate is a chemical compound with chemical formula Pb(C2H3O2)4 and is a lead salt of acetic acid. It is commercially available often stabilized with acetic acid.

It can be prepared by reaction of red lead with acetic acid The other main lead acetate is Lead(II) acetate.

Reagent in organic chemistry
Lead tetraacetate is a strong oxidizing agent, a source of acetyloxy groups and a general reagent for the introduction of lead into organolead compounds. Some of its many uses in organic chemistry:


 * acetoxylation of benzylic, allylic and α-oxygen ether C-H bonds, for example the photochemical conversion of dioxane to 1,4-dioxene through the 2-Acetoxy-1,4-dioxane intermediate and the conversion of α-pinene to verbenone
 * oxidation of hydrazones to diazo compounds for example that of hexafluoroacetone hydrazone to bis(trifluoromethyl)diazomethane
 * aziridine formation, for example the reaction of N-aminophthalimide and stilbene
 * cleavage of 1,2-diols to the corresponding aldehydes or ketones often replacing ozonolysis, for instance the oxidation of di-n-butyl d-tartrate to n-butyl glyoxylate
 * reaction with alkenes to γ-lactones
 * oxidation of alcohols carrying a δ-proton to cyclic ethers.
 * Oxidative cleavage of certain allyl alcohols in conjunction with ozone :


 * conversion of acetophenones to phenyl acetic acids