Zinc-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of benzoins and its extension to enantioselective oxidation

Zn(II)–DABCO complex is used as an efficient catalyst for the aerobic oxidation of benzoins to benzils in the presence of molecular oxygen. Usage of chiral zinc complex as catalyst resulted in enantioselective oxidative kinetic resolution of racemic benzoin to yield enantiomerically enriched benzoins.