An improved oxidation of an alcohol using aqueous permanganate and phase-transfer catalyst
The oxidation of a primary alcohol to the corresponding carboxylic acid via permanganate and phase-transfer catalyst has been modified to circumvent impurity formation incurred during the reaction. A safe, simple, and efficient process was developed which gave the required carboxylic acid in 77% isolated yield using sodium permanganate in the presence of tetraethylammonium hydrogen sulphate.