acid conditions to produce chlorinated ketones for example str3 this method effects oxidative cleavage chlorination and acetylation in one process accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a method of preparing selectively halogenated ketals and ketones which comprises treating with a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine and bromine ether compounds of formula i str4 wherein r 1 is a straight chain unsubstituted alkyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms r 2 and r 3 are straight chain unsubstituted alkyl groups of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms said treatment taking place in an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of monohydric and polyhydric alcohols wherein the ratio of said solvent to said ether is from about 5 to 1 to about 20 to 1 and at a temperature of from about 0 u00b0 c to about 80 u00b0 c diisopropyl ether may be halogenated according to the process of the instant invention it is a further object of the invention to obtain increased yields of selectively and symmetrically dihalogenated products which are easily separable from other isomeric reaction products it is also an object of this invention to provide a more economical and feasible method for the preparation of compounds which find use as fungicides fiber treatment agents resinification agents in the formation of resinous aromatic hydrocarbons pesticides and plasticizers the novel process of the instant invention may be exemplified as follows str5 the method of the present invention is conveniently carried out by slowly bubbling halogen through an alcoholic solution of the ether at room temperature and atmospheric pressure the method requires no special apparatus all that is required is control of the halogen being introduced and.