Vitamin B1-catalyzed aerobic oxidative esterification of aromatic aldehydes with alcohols.

A straightforward aerobic oxidative esterification of aryl aldehydes with alcohols has been developed for the synthesis of substituted esters by employing vitamin B1 as a cost-effective, metal-free, and eco-friendly NHC catalyst. Air is used as a green terminal oxidant. The reaction is a useful addition to the existing NHC-catalytic oxidative esterification.