Bi(NO3)3/TEMPO dual catalysis for aerobic oxidation of alcohols

Abstract

A selective and efficient catalytic system was developed for the aerobic oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds using catalytic amounts of Bi(NO3)3•5H2O and TEMPO, with molecular oxygen as a green oxidant. This protocol demonstrated broad substrate compatibility, achieving good to excellent yields for various substrates including benzyl alcohols, aliphatic alcohols, and cyclic alcohols. Notably, the scale-up oxidation of 1-dodecanol afforded the desired aldehyde in 90% isolated yield. Furthermore, a solvent-free scale-up experiment was successfully conducted, highlighting the practicality of this approach.