Titanium superoxide catalyzed selective oxidation of phenols to p -quinones with aq. H 2 O 2

Titanium superoxide, a novel heterogeneous and readily accessible catalyst, is found to catalyze the selective oxidation of phenols to the corresponding 1,4-benzoquinones in preparative yields with aq. 30% H 2 O 2 as oxidant under mild reaction conditions.