Continuous-Flow Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Cyclohexanones from Phenols using Sodium Formate as a Safe Hydrogen Source

We report a procedure for the continuous-flow production of cyclohexanone from phenol on the basis of the use of sodium formate as a biomass-derived source of hydrogen and Pd/C as an easily accessible catalyst system. The reaction worked in water at pH12.0 at 90°C. By setting a packed reactor charged with the Pd/C catalyst (10wt%) at a flow rate of 0.5mLmin-1, we achieved continuous-flow production of cyclohexanone in high yield with high selectivity and productivity.