Ultrasound-assisted direct oxidative amidation of benzyl alcohols catalyzed by graphite oxide

•Ultrasound-assisted direct oxidative amidation of benzyl alcohols with amines catalyzed by GO.•Graphite oxide (GO) was applied as an oxidative and a reusable solid acid catalyst.•Direct oxidative amidation of alcohols takes place under ultrasonic irradiation.•Corresponding amides were obtained in good to high yields and short reaction times.

Ultrasound irradiation was successfully applied for the direct oxidative amidation of benzyl alcohols with amines into the corresponding amides using graphite oxide (GO) as an oxidative and reusable solid acid catalyst in acetonitrile as solvent at 50 °C under air atmosphere. The direct oxidative amidation of benzyl alcohols takes place under mild conditions yielding the corresponding amides in good to high yields (69–95%) and short reaction times under metal-free conditions.