Selective organocatalytic oxygenation of hydrocarbons by dioxygen using anthraquinones and N-hydroxyphthalimide

Purely organic and catalytic systems of anthraquinones and N-hydroxyphthalimide efficiently promote oxygenation of hydrocarbons with dioxygen under mild conditions, e.g., fluorene can be converted completely to fluorenone with 85% yield at 80 degreesC.