Environmentally benign oxidation reaction of benzylic and allylic alcohols to carbonyl compounds using Pd/C with sodium borohydride

Abstract

Pd/C catalyst in aqueous alcohol with molecular oxygen, sodium borohydride, and potassium carbonate efficiently oxidized benzylic and allylic alcohols. The use of a reducing reagent, sodium borohydride, for the reactivation of active sites of the Pd surface proved to be remarkable. The utilization of room temperature reaction condition and aqueous alcohol solvent as well as the recyclability of Pd/C makes this manipulation very interesting from an economic and environmental perspective.