NMO⋅TPB: a selectivity variation on the Ley-Griffith TPAP oxidation.

A non-hygroscopic tetraphenylborate salt of N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMO) is reported (NMO⋅TPB), which modulates the standard Ley-Griffith oxidation such that benzylic and allylic alcohols are oxidised selectively. An attractive feature of this new protocol is that anhydrous conditions are not required for this selective tetra-n-propylammonium perruthenate (TPAP) oxidation, superseding the requirement of molecular sieves.