A new strategy for catalytic Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of KA-oil with molecular oxygen using N-hydroxyphthalimide

Catalytic Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of KA-oil (a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol) with molecular oxygen has been developed. The oxidation of KA-oil under dioxygen atmosphere in the presence of a catalytic amount of N-hydroxyphthalimide followed by treatment with indium trichloride gave ε-caprolactone.