Popoff's rule states that during the oxidation of an unsymmetrical ketone, the cleavage of the C−C=O bond is such that the keto group always stays with the smaller alkyl group.
Example: CH3COCH2CH2CH3 on oxidation gives two carboxylic acids --- CH3COOH and CH3CH2COOH. The keto group remains with the smaller alkyl group which is -CH3 while the -COOH group of the other carboxylic acid comes from the oxidation of -CH2 groups of the bigger alkyl chain.