A facile and efficient [bmim]N3 catalyzed direct oxidative esterification of arylaldehydes with alcohols

Task-specific ionic liquid, [bmim]N3 was used as an effective catalyst and reaction medium for the direct oxidative esterification of arylaldehydes with alcohols. The oxidative esterification reaction of a variety of arylaldehydes took place smoothly with some primary and secondary alcohols in [bmim]N3. Satisfactory results were obtained with arylaldehydes containing electron withdrawing groups. Tertiary alcohols did not react under these conditions.