Highly efficient and organic nitrogen‐containing cation‐promoted aerobic oxidation of alkylaromatics in the presence of N‐hydroxyphthalimide

BACKGROUD: Direct oxidation of alkylaromatics to the corresponding aromatic ketone is an important process in the manufacture of perfumes, pharmaceuticals, flavors, dyes and agrochemicals. For example, tetralin is oxidized to produce 1‐tetralinone, which is a key intermediate in the commercial production of 1‐naphthol, 2‐hydroxy‐1‐tetralone, aureolic acid antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals. RESULTS: In this investigation, it was found that alkylaromatics could be efficiently and selectively oxidized to the corresponding aromatic ketones when methyl violet was employed as a promotor in the presence of N‐hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI); tetralin was oxidized with 89% conversion and 76% selectivity to 1‐tetralinone under 0.3 MPa of O₂ at 75 °C for 2.5 h. The effects of temperature, oxygen pressure, reaction time and additive inclusion were studied in detail. A possible reaction mechanism for tetralin oxidation has been proposed. CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated that methyl violet could efficiently promote the aerobic oxidation of alkylaromatics in the presence of NHPI under mild conditions. Further investigations indicated that the nitrogen cation had a crucial promotion effect in the oxidation process. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry