Effective Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones over germanosilicates

• Germanosilicates efficiently catalyze the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones.
• Germanosilicates are active for both 2-admantanone and cyclohexanone.
• Ge-related Lewis acid sites are assumed to be the active sites.
• Germanosilicates show a good stability during Baeyer–Villiger oxidation.

Germanosilicates with various topologies (UTL, BEC, UWY, IWR) serve as efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones. The tetrahedrally coordinated Ge ions in germanosilicates exhibited Lewis acidity, and acted as the active sites for converting ketones to corresponding lactones effectively.