Catalytic Oxidation of Alcohols to Carbonyl Compounds Mediated by N-(Arylseleno)-4-chlorobenzenesulfonamide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.69.3601

Most secondary alcohols and β,γ-unsaturated primary alcohols have been catalytically oxidized with N-chloro-4-chlorobenzenesulfonamide sodium salt to the corresponding carbonyl compounds by the addition of a 0.01-0.03 molar amount of dimethyl 2,2′-diselenodibenzoate in good-to-excellent yields, and a catalytic species, methyl 2-[N-(4-chlorophenylsulfonyl)aminoseleno]benzoate (8), was isolated from the reaction mixture. The catalytic oxidation cycle for this reaction is proposed; the decomposition of esters, which are produced by the reaction of alcohols with oxidized 8, was found to be the rate-determining step.