Highly efficient catalytic aerobic oxidations of benzylic alcohols in water

A highly efficient catalytic system without transition metals in water has been developed for aerobic oxidations of benzylic alcohols. The newly developed catalyst system could oxidize benzylic alcohols and heteroaromatic analogues with 1 mol % TEMPO as a catalyst and with a catalytic amount of 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin and NaNO2. as cocatalysts. Under the optimal conditions, various alcohols could be converted into their corresponding aldehydes or ketones in high yields.