Highly efficient oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds in the presence of molecular oxygen using a novel heterogeneous ruthenium catalyst

A ruthenium cation combined with microcrystals of cobalt hydroxide and cerium oxide acted as a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the oxidation of various types of alcohols to carbonyl compounds under atmospheric pressure of molecular oxygen at 60°C. Especially, primary aliphatic alcohols could be oxidized to afford the carboxylic acids in high yields.