Selective Tandem Synthesis of Oximes from Benzylic Alcohols Catalyzed with 2, 3-Dichloro-5, 6-dicyanobenzoquinone

In spite of many reports in the literature concerning with oxidation of benzylic alcohols to carbonyl compounds with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) in stoichiometric amounts or even more, we surprisingly found that benzylic alcohols are directly oxidized to oximes using a catalytic amount of DDQ in the presence of hydroxylamine hydrochloride under solvent-free conditions. The present tandem catalytic method can be efficiently used for preparation of oximes in the presence of some other functional groups with excellent chemoselectivity.