Selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde in aqueous solution, at acidic conditions, through TiO_2/Cu(II)/solar UV system was investigated. Different commercial TiO_2 samples were tested. The best result found in terms of yield was of 35 % of benzaldehyde with respect to the initial benzyl alcohol. During each run a partial conversion of benzaldehyde to benzoic acid was also observed. The study suggested that different operative parameters, such as the composition of photocatalyst, amount of catalyst, pH, ionic components in water and the initial concentration of Cu(II) played an important role in the photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. at the end of the process, Cu(II) could be regenerated and reused, through a re-oxidation of Cu(0), produced during the photolytic run, with air at dark.
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