Metal-Free Aerobic Oxidative Selective C-C Bond Cleavage in Heteroaryl-Containing Primary and Secondary Alcohols.

A transition-metal-free aerobic oxidative selective C-C bond-cleavage reaction in primary and secondary heteroaryl alcohols is reported. This reaction was highly efficient and tolerated various heteroaryl alcohols, generating a carboxylic acid derivative and a neutral heteroaromatic compound. Experimental studies combined with density functional theory calculations revealed the mechanism underlying the selective C-C bond cleavage. This strategy also provides an alternative simple approach to carboxylation reaction.