Synthesis of Hydroxybenzaldehydes via Copper-mediated catalytic selective oxidation of Methylphenols

• Main Author: Lee, Benjamin Boon Hau.
• Other Authors: Zaher Judeh
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Chemical engineering::Biotechnological production
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/17266
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Substituted hydroxybenzaldehydes are important feedstock materials for the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and perfume industries. While there have been several reported methods for the synthesis of hydroxybenzaldehydes involving stoichiometric, electric or electrocatalytic oxidation, there have been only a few catalytic oxidation methods. Hence, a research based on the catalytic reaction shown below was explored to determine the feasibility of various ligands. 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde was obtained in yields up to 43% via selective oxidation using catalytic amounts of CuCl2 with the addition of Byp in THF-water (1:1) solvent.