This paper describes the utility of an activated carbon-molecular oxygen system, not only in the oxidation of benzylic and allylic alcohols, but also in the direct carbonylation at the benzylic position. The preparation of a variety of heteroaromatic and aromatic compounds, including substituted pyridines, pyrazoles, benzoxazoles, benzimidazoles, benzothiazoles, 2-substituted imidazoles, indoles, pyrimidin-2(1H)-ones, and anthracenes, by oxidative aromatization using the activated carbon-molecular oxygen system is also discussed.
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