12/15/11 - Sharpless Perruthenate Oxidation

   This oxidation reaction is used to turn primary or secondary alcohols into aldehydes or ketones accordingly.  The reactants involved in this reaction are the addition of (Ph3P)2RuCl2 and N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide, or also known as NMO.  What happens here is that the NMO causes the activation of the Perruthenate by oxidizing it, and then the Perruthenate continues to oxidize the alcohol which being bonded to the oxygen of the alcohol.