Visible-Light-Mediated Aerobic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzoic Acid

Abstract

Herein, a metal-free and environmentally benign visible-light-induced photocatalytic system for the oxidation of benzyl alcohols was developed, employing 4-bromoacetophenone as the photocatalyst under an O2 atmosphere at room temperature, affording the desired products in up to 88% yield. This strategy demonstrates broad substrate compatibility across a range of substituted benzyl alcohols. The products were obtained with high purity, and the reaction exhibited excellent robustness, good reproducibility, and demonstrated feasibility for scale-up. Combined with systematic mechanistic investigations, the reaction pathway has been further elucidated, providing a new approach for visible-light-driven selective oxidation. This operationally simple and sustainable protocol offers a practical alternative for alcohol oxidation, which will benefit the organic synthesis and green chemistry community.