Poly[4-(diacetoxyiodo)styrene] (1) is a useful and convenient oxidizing agent. For example, Togo and his co-workers successfully oxidized primary and secondary alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones, respectively, in the presence of TEMPO under mild conditions.

After undergoing the oxidation reaction, the reduced poly(4-iodostyrene) can be recovered simply and quantitatively by filtration. It can then be regenerated by oxidation with peracetic acid and reused. 1 is expected to be a benign oxidizing reagent.