Indirect electrooxidation (an ex-cell method) of the side chain of alkylbenzenes has been performed by recycle use of (NH4) 2Ce (N03) s (CAN) in various solvent systems. The side- chain oxidation of p-methoxytoluene (1) with CAN in methanol proceeds smoothly, yielding anisaldehyde (3, 94%), while use of aqueous methanol or acetic acid resulted in a mixture of 3 and the dimeric product 4 (19-35%) along with complex products (2847%). ...
[Torii, Sigeru; Inokuchi, Tsutomu; Takagishi, Sadahito; Horike, Hirofumi; Kuroda, Hideki; Uneyama, Kenji Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan, 1987 , vol. 60, p. 2173 - 2188]