Selective Organocatalytic Oxygenation of Hydrocarbons by Dioxygen Using Anthraquinones and<i> N</i>-Hydroxyphthalimide

Abstract

[Reaction: see text] Purely organic and catalytic systems of anthraquinones and N-hydroxyphthalimide efficiently promote oxygenation of hydrocarbons with dioxygen under mild conditions, e.g., fluorene can be converted completely to fluorenone with 85% yield at 80 degrees C.