Scope, kinetics, and mechanistic aspects of aerobic oxidations catalyzed by ruthenium supported on alumina.

The Ru/Al(2)O(3) catalyst was prepared by modification of the preparation of Ru(OH)(3).n H(2)O. The present Ru/Al(2)O(3) catalyst has high catalytic activities for the oxidations of activated, nonactivated, and heterocyclic alcohols, diols, and amines at 1 atm of molecular oxygen. Furthermore, the catalyst could be reused seven times without a loss of catalytic activity and selectivity for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol. A catalytic reaction mechanism involving a ruthenium alcoholate species and beta-hydride elimination from the alcoholate has been proposed. The reaction rate has a first-order dependence on the amount of catalyst, a fractional order on the concentration of benzyl alcohol, and a zero order on the pressure of molecular oxygen. These results and kinetic isotope effects indicate that beta-elimination from the ruthenium alcoholate species is a rate-determining step.