4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridine promoted selective oxidation of methyl aromatics with molecular oxygen

Abstract

4-N,N-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) as catalyst in combination with benzyl bromide was developed for the selective oxidation of methyl aromatics. DMAP exhibited higher catalytic activity than other pyridine analogues, such as 4-carboxypyridine, 4-cyanopyridine and pyridine. The sp 3 hybrid carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds of different methyl aromatics were successfully oxygenated with molecular oxygen. The real catalyst is due to the formation of a pyridine onium salt from the bromide and DMAP. The onium salt was well characterized by NMR and the reaction mechanism was discussed. © 2012 by the authors.