Sulfenamide-catalyzed oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols with molecular bromine

Primary and secondary alcohols were smoothly oxidized to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones in high yields at room temperature with 1.1 equiv. of molecular bromine by using a catalytic amount of N-t-butyl-2-nitrobenzenesulfenamide in the coexistence of potassium carbonate and molecular sieves 4A.