A new method of alkylaryls oxidation with MeOH and CCl4 under the action of Mn(acac)3 and Mo(CO)6

Activation of the C-C and C‒H bonds are one of the important directions in organic synthesis. Currently, liquid-phase catalytic oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons has become an independent branch of the technology of organic synthesis. We have developed for the first time a new catalytic method for the preparation of aromatic aldehydes and methyl esters of aromatic carboxylic acids based on the reaction of alkylaryls with methyl hypochlorite generated in situ from the MeOH - CCl4 reagents under the action of a Mn(acac)3 or Mo(CO)6 catalyst. The optimal molar ratios of catalyst and reagents as well as the reaction conditions for the selective synthesis of aldehydes and methyl esters from alkylarylswere found. In contrast to the known processes of oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons, the developed method does not require the use of expensive organometallic compounds and molecular oxygen.