Traditional oxidations of alcohols use heavy metal oxidants, resulting in noxious waste and unwanted coproducts (Platinum Metals Rev., 2002, 46, (1), 26). Alternative homogeneous catalytic systems have been developed, but are limited mostly to oxidation of activated benzylic and allylic alcohols, or large amounts of additives (NaOAc, NaOH and K₂CO₃) are required.

Now, researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed an efficient heterogeneous Ru catalyst that can oxidise alcohols with 1 atm of O₂ or air, without additives (K. Yamaguchi and N. Mizuno, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2002, 41, (23), 4538-4542). The 1.4 wt.% Ru/Al₂O₃ catalyst was prepared by stirring γ- Al₂O₃with an aqueous solution of RuCl₃ at room temperature, and then treated with aqueous NaOH.

The Ru/Al₂O₃ system had high catalytic activity for oxidising activated and non-activated alcohols with 1 atm of O₂; reaction selectivity was over 97%. Even less reactive primary alcohols (1-octanol and 1-decanol) could be oxidised. The Ru/Al₂O₃ system is reusable, recoverable and no Ru leaching occurs, which make it a possible system for industrial use.