Efficient and highly selective aqueous oxidation of alcohols and sulfides catalyzed by reusable hydrophobic copper (II) phthalocyanine

A practical innovative method for highly chemoselective oxidation of alcohols to the aldehyde and ketones and sulfides to the sulfones using tetra-n-butylammonium peroxomonosulfate (n-Bu4NHSO5) catalyzed by simple water-insoluble copper (II) phthalocyanine (CuPc) in neat water has been developed. Organic co-solvents, surfactants, co-catalyst and hydrophilic auxiliaries were completely missed in this heterogeneous catalytic strategy. The CuPc catalyst and by-product of oxidant (TBAHSO4) could easily be recycled and reused without loss of activity providing readily scalability.