| abstract |
(57) SUMMARY The present method provides a method for transferring oxygen to at least one oxidizable site on a target compound. The method comprises reacting, in solution, a target compound; a source of oxygen atoms; a source of a Lewis acid, such as a proton, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a rare earth metal, a transition metal or a major group metal ion; and a catalyst. Selectively oxidizing an oxidizable site on the target compound. The catalyst has the general structural formula (I): [Z is preferably N, but may include O, and MO is a transition metal-oxo species. ]. The Lewis acid binds to a bidentate second site on the Ch 1 substituent to form a Lewis acid-catalyzed complex. |