Silica Gel Immobilized Flavins for Photooxidation of Benzyl Alcohols

Significance

Fluorous silica gel immobilized flavins were prepared with a view toward using them in the catalytic photooxidation of benzyl alcohols 1 to the corresponding aldehydes 2. Thus, the immobilization of flavin photocatalysts was achieved by soaking fluorous silica gel with solutions of flavins 4-8 in chloroform and evaporating the solvent. The photooxidation of 1 (2 mmol) was carried out under LED irradiation with the silica gel immobilized flavins and aerial oxygen as a reoxidant to give 2 in 24-97% yield.