Excellent Eco-friendly Selective Alcohols Oxidation by an Acid Functionalized Imidazolium Based Ionic Liquid

Aims: A green route for the oxidation of alcohols to corresponding carbonyl compounds in room temperature ionic liquid ([CEMIM]BH4) was developed using hydrogen peroxide as the oxygen source. In aqueous solution at room temperature, 0.2 mol% of ([CEMIM]BH4) showed excellent catalytic properties for selective oxidation of aromatic and aliphatic alcohols. Background: One of the vital reactions in organic synthesis is the oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds. In particular, the conversion of primary alcohols to aldehydes has been utilized in a variety of applications as they are used as intermediates in fine chemicals mostly in the perfume industry. Objective: In the present work, we have reported an effective green route for the selective oxidation of alcohols to the carbonyl compounds using peroxide in an ionic liquid 1-carboxyethyl- 3-methyl-imidazolium tetrahydroborate ([CEMIM]BH4). Methods: A mixture of alcohol (2 mmol), ([CEMIM]BH4) (0.2 mol%), and H2O2 (2 mmol) were stirred thoroughly with the help of a magnetic stirrer for 10 min at ambient temperature. Results: The catalytic activity of ([CEMIM]BH4) is very effective, which reflect its good solvating nature during oxidation. Conclusion: In conclusion, the series of described experiments represents a useful method for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to carbonyl compounds at room temperature. The catalyst can be easily prepared and is therefore extremely cost-effective. The rapid reaction time for the substrates shows that a large number of materials may be screened in parallel over a short period of time.