Development of a Flow Photochemical Aerobic Oxidation of Benzylic C-H Bonds

A continuous mesofluidic process has been developed for benzylic C-H oxidation with moderate to good yields using a photocatalyst (riboflavin tetraacetate, RFT) activated by a UV lamp and an iron additive [Fe(ClO4)(2)] via incorporation of singlet oxygen (O-1(2)) for the direct formation of oxidized C=O or CH-OH compounds.