Aerobic oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds catalyzed by N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) combined with Co(acac)3

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/00404-0399(50)1431G-

Aerobic oxidation of various alcohols has been accomplished by using a new catalytic system. N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) combined with Co(acac)₃. The oxidation of alcohols by NHPI was found to be markedly enhanced by adding a slight amount of Co(acac)₃ (0.05 equiv. to NHPI). Thus, secondary alcohols and vic-diols which are difficult to be oxidized by NHPI alone were smoothly oxidized with molecular oxygen (1 atm) to the corresponding carbonyl compounds under relatively mild conditions (65 ~ 75 °C).