Polyoxometalate sulfoxide complex

Further research into the reaction mechanism revealed that the reaction rate was correlated with the electron structure of the sulfoxide the more electropositive sulfoxides were the better oxygen donors. Excellent correlation of the reaction rates with the heterolytic benzylic carbon-hydrogen bond dissociation energies indicated a hydride abstraction mechanism in the rate-determining step to yield a carbocation intermediate. The formation of 9-phenylfluorene as by-product in the oxidation of triphenylmethane supports this suggestion. Further kinetic experiments and NMR showed the formation of a polyoxometalate-sulfoxide complex before the oxidation reaction, this complex being the active oxidant in these systems. Subsequently, in a similar reaction system, sulfoxides were used to facilitate the aerobic oxidation of alcohols [29]. In this manner, benzylic, allyUc, and aliphatic alcohols were all oxidized to aldehydes and ketones in a reaction catalyzed by Ke jn-type... 

The oxidation of benzylic alcohols was quantitative within hours and selective to the corresponding benzaldehydes, but the oxidation of allylic alcohols was less selective. The oxidation of aliphatic alcohols was slower but selective. In mechanistic studies considering oxidation of benzylic alcohols, similar to the oxidation of alkylarenes, a polyoxometalate-sulfoxide complex appears to be the active oxidant. Further isotope-labeling experiments, kinetic isotope effects, and especially Hammett plots showed that oxidation occurs by oxygen transfer from the activated sulfoxide and elimination of water from the alcohol. However, the exact nature of the reaction pathway is dependent on the identity of substituents on the phenyl ring. 

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