Molecular Iodine as Efficient Co-Catalyst for Facile Oxidation of Alcohols with Hypervalent(III) Iodine

A simple and mild procedure for the facile oxidation of alcohols to ketones and acids using a catalytic quantity of molecular iodine in combination with (diacetoxyiodo)benzene in acetonitrile is described. Direct oxidative methyl esterification of alcohols is also reported in methanol as solvent. Oxidation of alcohols is induced by iodonium ion generated in situ by the chemical oxidation of molecular iodine with (diacetoxyiodo)benzene.