Microwave-assisted green oxidation of alcohols with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by iron complexes with nitrogen ligands

Oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols, including two diols and glycerol, with H2O2 was catalyzed by the iron(II) complexes [FeL3](OTf)2 (L ¼ 2,20-bipyridine, 2,20-bipyrimidine, 1,10-phenanthroline and substituted derivatives) and [FeL2](OTf)2 (L ¼ bis(2-pyridinylmethyl)amine, 2,6-di(2-pyridyl)pyridine). The reactions were performed in acetonitrile, water or mixed solvent (typically water/acetonitrile 4:1) in a microwawe reactor at low power. Effect of addition of a cocatalyst, which in some cases improved the yields of the catalytic reaction, was investigated by means of NMR and UVeVisible techniques.