Benzyl alcohol, 2-methyl benzyl alcohol, 3-methyl benzyl alcohol, benzhydrol, 4-methylbenzhydrol and 4,4'-dimethoxybenzhydrol were oxidized efficiently to the corresponding ketones, carboxylic acids or aldehydes in good-to-excel lent yields and purities at 45 degrees C in acetonitrile using H(2)O(2) as oxidant catalyzed by AlCl(3) (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.