oxidative iodination of ketones in aqueous media was achieved by using molecular iodine as the source of iodine atoms, air as the terminal oxidant, sodium nitrite (NaNO2) as the catalyst and H2SO4 as the activator of the overall catalytic process. The efficiency of the reaction, resulting in α-iodo ketones, was significantly improved in an aqueous solution of the anionic amphiphile sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)