A noble metal-free catalytic system for the oxidation of olefins to their corresponding aldehydes using H₂O₂as an oxidant.

Baeyer–Villiger oxidation can synthesize a series of esters or lactones that have essential application value but are difficult to be synthesized by other methods. Cycloketones can be oxidized to lactones using molecular oxygen, peroxy acids, or hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the environmental oxidants. Because of the weak oxidation ability of hydrogen peroxide, Bronsted acids and Lewis acids are used as catalysts to activate hydrogen peroxide or the carbonyl of ketones to increase the nucleophilic performance of hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic mechanisms of Bronsted acids and Lewis acids differ in the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone with an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant.

Cobalt vanadium oxide supported on reduced graphene oxide showed excellent performance in the oxidation of styrene derivatives to the corresponding aldehydes with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. An electron-donating group at the para-position of the aromatic ring facilitates the formation of the corresponding aldehyde. Compared with conventional methods, the newly designed heterogeneous catalytic system offers a promising prospect because of its economic applicability and environmental friendliness.

Pd⁰/C catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the Wacker oxidation of styrene derivatives to corresponding ketones with hydrogen peroxide as a clean oxidant. Compared with the conventional Wacker system, the newly developed method offers a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly option without the use of a copper salt as a co-catalyst.

Ammonium tungstate was found to be a facile and efficient catalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Heterogeneous graphene oxide as acid effectively intensified the transformations and resulted in excellent yields. The use of water as solvent rendered the reactions promising both economically and environmentally.