Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation Catalyzed by Polyester-Based Pd(II) Macrocomplexes

Poly(lactic acid) and poly(caprolactone)-based macroligands bearing a pyridine end-group were employed to coordinate to Pd(II). The resulting macrocomplexes were used to catalyze the aerobic oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds in toluene. The poly(lactic acid) based catalyst showed high stability in the course of the catalytic reactions, while its poly(caprolactone) counterpart degrades due to transesterification reaction occuring between the substrate and the polymer chain.