Oxidation of Benzaldehydes to Benzoate Esters Using Household Bleach and Sodium Iodide in Alcohol Solvents

Abstract

Various substituted benzaldehydes were converted into benzoate esters with household bleach and sodium iodide in an alcohol solvent. The reaction works best with methanol. Only 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, 3-nitrobenzaldehyde, and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde reacted completely with 1-propanol under these conditions.

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GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Benzaldehydes
• bleach
• esters
• iodide
• oxidation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Welch Foundation for Departmental Research Grant BL-0028, for partial support of this work, and the Chemistry Department of Southeast Missouri State University, for use of their facilities and their Bruker DPX-300 NMR spectrometer.

Notes

^a NAR means no apparent reaction.