Oxidation of benzyl alcohol by CrVI supported on Ambersep 900 (O−H) – a kinetic and mechanistic investigation

The oxidation of benzyl alcohol was found to proceed through ester formation. In a slow step the ester decomposes and produces chromium(IV). Chromium(IV) formed in a slow step, oxidizes another molecule of benzyl alcohol because our oxidant was supported on polymeric material and generates a free radical in a fast step. The free radical subsequently reacts with another oxidant site in a polymeric reagent in a fast step and forms chromium(V). In a last step the intermediate chromium(V) reacts with benzyl alcohol to produce benzaldehyde. The mechanism was predicted and activation parameters were also determined.