Alcohol consumption: The Phl(OAc)2-derived hypervalent iodine reagent 1 acts as an oxidant in the conversion of primary and secondary alcohols 2 into carbonyl compounds 3 with good to excellent yields (see scheme). The bromide ion remaining from the preparation of [emim]+[BF 4]-(emim = 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) acts as a catalyst in the reaction. Primary alcohols are oxidized without any detectable overoxidation.