Palladium-Schiff base-triphenylphosphine catalyzed oxidation of alcohols

Novel palladium(II)-N-(2-pyridyl)-N'-(5-R-salicylidene) hydrazine triphenylphosphine complexes were synthesized and characterized by UV, IR, H-1 NMR and P-31 NMR spectral analysis, C, H, N analysis and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The complexes were effective in the catalytic oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols in presence of N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide as oxidant. The oxidation reactions were carried out in dichloromethane. A mechanistic study of the above reactions has been proposed. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.