An efficient and practical aerobic oxidation of benzylic methylenes by recyclable N -hydroxyimide.

An efficient and practical benzylic aerobic oxidation catalyzed by cheap and simple N -hydroxyimide organocatalyst has been achieved with high yields and broad substrate scope. The organocatalyst used can be recycled and reused by simple workup and only minute amount (1 mol% in most cases) of simple iron salt is used as promoter. Phenyl substrates with mild and strong electron-withdrawing group could also be oxygenated in high yields as well as other benzylic methylenes. Influence of substituents, gram-scale application, catalysts decay and general mechanism of this methodology has also been discussed.
Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare.
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