Aerobic oxidation under visible light irradiation of a fluorescent lamp with a combination of carbon tetrabromide and triphenyl phosphine

A combination of CBr4-Ph3P, a non-metal method, enables us to carry out aerobic photo-oxidation of alcohols and aromatic methyl groups to the corresponding carboxylic acids under irradiation of vis from a general-purpose fluorescent lamp. Aliphatic primary- and secondary alcohols, benzyl alcohols, and methyl groups at the aromatic nucleus generally afforded the carboxylic acids directly in good to high yield.