Direct hydroxylation of arenes with O2 catalyzed by V@CN catalyst

A vanadium doped graphitic carbon nitride catalyst has been prepared and used for the direct hydroxylation of arenes with O 2 . Substituted arenes with electron-withdrawing groups such as CN, NO 2 , COOH, CF 3 , and COCH 3 were oxygenated to the corresponding phenols in moderate yields. The catalyst also proved applicable for the hydroxylation of aromatic halides (F, Cl, and Br) with O 2 .