Transition-Metal-Free:  A Highly Efficient Catalytic Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation Process

A highly efficient catalytic system without transition metals has been developed for aerobic alcohol oxidations. Under the optimal reaction conditions, various alcohol substrates were converted into their corresponding carbonyl compounds by air with TEMPO/Br2/NaNO2 as catalyst, especially the oxidation of benzylic alcohols to benzaldehydes in high yields.