Description |
Benzyl alcohol oxidation in aqueous medium was studied by RuIV=O2+ and RuV=O3+ forms of the water oxidation catalyst [Ru(Mebimpy)(bpy)(OH2)]2+. Three different pathways were identified for alcohol oxidation by RuIV=O2+: i) C-H insertion in acid-neutral solutions, ii) a novel base-assisted concerted hydride proton transfer (HPT), iii) deprotonation and hydride transfer oxidation of the alkoxide. A significant rate enhancement was found for benzyl alcohol oxidation by RuV=O3+ compared to RuIV=O2+. Oxidation of hydrocarbons- ethylbenzene, toluene, cumene- were studied by RuV=O3+ in propylene carbonate/water solvent mixtures. The relative reactivity order was ethylbenzene > toluene > cumene. |