Sulfuric Acid-Promoted Oxidation of Benzylic Alcohols to Aromatic Aldehydes in Dimethyl Sulfoxide: An Efficient Metal-Free Oxidation Approach

An efficient metal-free oxidation of benzylic alcohols to ­aromatic aldehydes is described. Heating a solution of the benzylic alcohol in DMSO in the presence of H 2 SO 4 afforded the corresponding aldehyde in excellent yield. This oxidation reaction, which proceeds with a short reaction time and no side products, is akin to the Pfitzner–Moffatt oxidation, but without the need for N , N ′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide.