Oxidation of benzylic alcohols and ethers to carbonyl derivatives by nitric acid in dichloromethane

Nitric acid in dichloromethane may be successfully employed for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols and ethers to the corresponding carbonyl compounds. The proposed method proved to be of general applicability, affording very good yields of aldehydes and ketones and showing interesting chemoselectivity in many instances, allowing competitive aromatic nitration to be avoided, as well as - in the case of aldehydes - any further oxidation to carboxylic acids. The reaction probably proceeds by a radical mechanism, the active species in the oxidation process being NO2. Competitive formation of nitro esters was observed in some cases, whereas poor results were obtained with allylic and non-benzylic substrates.