Highly practical sodium(i)/azobenzene catalyst system for aerobic oxidation of benzylic alcohols

An economic, environmental and practical aerobic oxidation of benzylic alcohols and hetero aryl alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with good substrate scope is disclosed for the first time. Good to excellent yields were obtained by employing economic and commercially available sodium bromide and a catalytic amount of azobenzene under metal-free and ligand-free conditions. Moreover, aldehydes and acids, the oxidation products of benzylic 1° alcohols, could be obtained using sodium bromide and sodium hydroxide as the co-catalyst respectively in high yields.