N ‐Hydroxy ‐1,6‐methano[10]annulene‐3,4‐dicarboximide/Co( OAc ) 2 : A novel catalytic system for the aerobic oxidation of alkylarenes

Alkylbenzenes were aerobically oxidized to their oxygenated products via a novel catalytic system using N ‐hydroxy‐1,6‐methano[10]annulene‐3,4‐dicarboximide ( 2 ) and cobalt(II) acetate under mild conditions. A radical mechanism has been proposed to account for the aerobic oxidation of these hydrocarbons. The 2 /Co(OAc) 2 catalytic system was optimized and the reaction scope was explored.