Efficient oxidation of ethers with pyridine N-oxide catalyzed by ruthenium porphyrins

We found that oxidation of cyclic ethers with the Ru porphyrin-heteroaromatic N-oxide system gave lactones or/and ring-opened oxidized products with regioselectivity. A relatively high kinetic isotope effect was observed in the ether oxidation, suggesting that the rate-determining step is the first hydrogen abstraction.