Facile and Clean Oxidation of Alcohols in Water Using Hypervalent Iodine(III) Reagents

An environmentally benign oxidation of alcohols in water using iodosobenzene (PhI=O) or a polymer-supported (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (PSDIB) with KBr has been achieved (see scheme). This method results in the catalytic activation of a variety of sluggishly reactive and/or sparsely soluble hypervalent iodine reagents in water under neutral conditions.