Synthesis of Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids by Selective Oxidations of Alcohols Using a Polypyridyl Complex of Ruthenium(IV)

Abstract

Electrocatalytic oxidations of alcohols were carried out using the complex [Ru(trpy)(bpy)0]²⁺. Primary aliphatic alcohols were oxidized to their respective aldehydes, secondary aliphatic and aromatic alcohols to the correspondent ketones and allyl and benzyl alcohols to their carboxylic acids. Controlling the number of coulombs passed through the solutions one could obtain aldehydes in good yields from the benzyl alcohols.