Selective Electrochemical Oxygenation of Alkylarenes to Carbonyls

An efficient electrochemical method for benzylic C(sp3)–H bond oxidation has been developed. A variety of methylarenes, methylheteroarenes, and benzylic (hetero)methylenes could be converted into the desired aryl aldehydes and aryl ketones in moderate to excellent yields in an undivided cell, using O2 as the oxygen source and lutidinium perchlorate as an electrolyte. On the basis of cyclic voltammetry studies, 18O labeling experiments, and radical trapping experiments, a possible single-electron transfer mechanism has been proposed for the electrooxidation reaction.