Selective aerobic oxidation of allyl phenyl ether to methyl ketone by palladium–polyoxometalate hybrid catalysts

•The hybrid Pd/POM system enable to the Wacker-type oxidation of ally phenyl ethers to produce corresponding methyl ketone in high conversion and yields.•The high conversion in the Pd/POM system can be attributed to an efficient re-oxidation of Pd0 by POM.•Hammett plots for the Wacker-type oxidation of para-substituted ally phenyl ethers demonstrate that the initial rates depend on the substituents of allyl phenyl ethers with negative slope.