Photocatalytic oxidation of primary and secondary benzylic alcohols to carbonyl compounds catalyzed by H3PW12O40/SiO2 under an O2 atmosphere

An efficient, selective and green procedure for the photocatalytic oxidation of primary and secondary benzylic alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones has been achieved using silica-encapsulated H3PW12O40 as a recyclable heterogeneous photocatalyst in acetonitrile under oxygen gas as the sole reoxidant of the catalyst.