Selective oxidation of naphthalene derivatives with ruthenium catalysts using hydrogen peroxide as terminal oxidant

The selective oxidation of naphthalene and its derivatives to give naphthoquinones has been investigated in detail. The reaction can be carried out effectively in the presence of a catalytic amount of Ru complexes (0.2 mol%) and phase transfer catalysts (PTC) using H₂O₂ as the terminal oxidant and water as the solvent. The effect of different ruthenium complexes, phase transfer catalysts, and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide were studied. Compared to previous procedures for this type of reactions, acidic solvents and high concentration of hydrogen peroxide are not necessary, which makes the reaction more environmentally friendly.