Covalent anchoring of N-hydroxyphthalimide on silica via robust imide bonds as a reusable catalyst for the selective aerobic oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone

N-Hydroxyphthalimide is anchored on commercial silica by robust imide bonds, and the synthesized N-oxyl catalysts exhibit excellent activity, selectivity and reusability for the aerobic oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone.