Chemoselective benzylic Csp-H bond oxidation reactions catalyzed by the Ag(bipy)SO complex.

Herein, we present a silver-catalyzed method for the selective oxidation of benzylic Csp-H bonds with high chemo- and regioselectivity. This approach efficiently converts toluenes into aldehydes, benzylic methylenes into ketones, and benzylic alcohols into aldehydes. Notably, the reaction also proceeds under  generated catalytic conditions and is scalable. Control experiments further indicate that water serves as the oxygen source in the oxidized products.