A new environmentally friendly method for the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclobutanones catalyzed by thioureas using H2O2 as an oxidant

A new environmentally friendly method for the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclobutanones has been developed. The reaction can be performed at room temperature by using thioureas as catalysts and H2O2 as the oxidant in toluene, and the desired gamma-butyrolactone compounds are obtained in high yields.