Effective oxidation of alcohols with manganese dioxide supported on kieselguhr under heterogeneous conditions

Selective oxidation of aromatic primary alcohols and secondary alcohols into the corresponding aldehydes and ketones, respectively, with manganese dioxide supported on kieselguhr under heterogeneous conditions at reflux in the yield between 86-97% is described. The main advantage of the present oxidation is that the insoluble solid support, kieselguhr, provides a particular reaction environment capable of enhancing the reaction selectivity and reactivity, and moreover, turns out to be very profitable in the work-up, which becomes reduced to a mere filtration.