Aqueous Phase C-H Bond Oxidation Reaction of Arylalkanes Catalyzed by a Water-Soluble Cationic Ru(III) Complex [(pymox-Me\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eRuCl\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e]\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3eBF\u3csub\u3e4\u3c/sub\u3e\u3csup\u3e-\u3c/sup\u3e

The cationic complex [(pymox-Me2)RuCl2]+BF4− was found to be a highly effective catalyst for the C−H bond oxidation reaction of arylalkanes in water. For example, the treatment of ethylbenzene (1.0 mmol) with t-BuOOH (3.0 mmol) and 1.0 mol % of the Ru catalyst in water (3 mL) cleanly produced PhCOCH3 at room temperature. Both a large kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD = 14) and a relatively large Hammett value (ρ = −1.1) suggest a solvent-caged oxygen rebounding mechanism via a Ru(IV)-oxo intermediate species