Selective Toluene Electrooxidation to Benzyl Alcohol

OH radicals to form methanesulfinic acid, limiting benzyl alcohol generation. The wet organic solvent environment additionally prevented overoxidation beyond the alcohol by stabilizing radical intermediates through hydrogen bonding networks, effectively arresting the reaction after the first oxygenation. Likewise, benzyl alcohol oxidation yielded benzaldehyde, with no overoxidation to benzoic acid. Our findings establish fundamental design principles for selective hydrocarbon oxidations by leveraging solvent-mediated interactions, with broad implications for sustainable chemical synthesis.