Poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether mediated oxidative scission of aromatic olefins to carbonyl compounds by molecular oxygen.

A simple, and practical oxidative scission of aromatic olefins to carbonyl compounds using O2 as the sole oxidant with poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether as a benign solvent has been developed. A wide range of monosubstituted, gem-disubstituted, 1,2-disubstituted, trisubstituted and tetrasubstituted aromatic olefins was successfully converted into the corresponding aldehydes and ketones in excellent yields even with gram-scale reaction. Some control experiments were also conducted to support a possible reaction pathway.