Daniel Moock’s research while affiliated with Monash University (Australia) and other places

... Our approach is essentially the first example for the synthesis of formate esters employing a formaldehyde-alcohol oxidative coupling. Generally, formate esters can be prepared by the acid-catalyzed [23] or N-heterocyclic carbene-promoted [24] transesterification of The Au-NP-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of hemiacetals has been well documented in the literature, as a protocol to prepare esters or lactones [18][19][20][21][22]. Yet for acyclic esters, one of the reactants has to be used in large excess (e.g., the reaction of benzaldehyde in methanol as a solvent to form methyl benzoate). Our approach is essentially the first example for the synthesis of formate esters employing a formaldehyde-alcohol oxidative coupling. ...

Reference:

Synthesis of Formate Esters and Formamides Using an Au/TiO₂-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Coupling of Paraformaldehyde