Any suggestions? Been UTFSE, but disappointlingly nothing specific was found... Google turns up some IBX-type oxidants, silica-supported dichromate/permanganate, CrO3... I am a bit stuck on this one. Benzyl alcohol is very cheap and available, the procedure need not be highly yielding... Would plain KMnO4 in solventless cold conditions do the job? Dichromate? MnO2? MnO2/H2SO4? KMnO4/H2SO4? All you knowledgeable bees are humbly asked for a little help on this one...