Biomimetic Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones with SnO2 as cocatalyst, features in activating carbonyl group of substrates

• SnO2 was used as cocatalyst in the Fe porphyrins-mediated B–V oxidation.
• The major role of SnO2 was to active cyclohexanone molecules in the oxidation.
• The cocatalytic effect of SnO2 was confirmed by in situ Raman spectroscopy.

The cocatalytic effect of SnO2 on the iron(III) porphyrins-catalyzed aerobic Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone in the presence of benzaldehyde as reductant was investigated, the conversion of cyclohexanone was remarkablely enhanced, reaching up to 96%. The major role of SnO2 was to active cyclohexanone molecules, which was confirmed by in situ Raman spectroscopy. A plausible cocatalytic mechanism involving the activated cyclohexanone was proposed.

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