Au/TiO₂-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols

Significance

The aerobic oxidation of alcohols was performed with gold nanoparticles on TiO₂ under solvent-free conditions. Thus, the reaction of benzyl alcohol was carried out with gold nanoparticles on TiO₂ (131 ppm Au, ∅ = 6.3 nm) and K₂CO₃ (1 mol%) under O₂ atmosphere (2 atm) to give benzaldehyde in 35% conversion with 55% selectivity (TOF = 534 h^-1). The oxidation of aliphatic alcohols gave the corresponding esters in 35-59% conversion with >99% selectivity. The reaction of 2-propanol and 2-octanol afforded acetone and 2-octanone in 15% and 65% conversion with >99% selectivity, respectively.