International audienceNew chiral nitroxides based on the imidazolidin-4-one skeleton, and the corresponding hydroxylamines, have been prepared from cyclic nitrones by a straightforward reaction sequence. They were evaluated as catalysts in the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol using different co-catalysts. Both the imidazolidinone nitroxides and hydroxylamines were proven to catalyze the reaction, with the ring substituent having an effect depending on the co-catalytic system. In some cases, rapid oxidation to benzaldehyde was accomplished at room temperature under an atmospheric O2 pressure. Moreover, atroposelective desymmetrization was achieved during the aerobic oxidation of a diol catalyzed by an enantiopure imidazolidinone nitroxide. Finally, the electrochemical behavior of the new hydroxylamines and nitroxides was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, which gave insights into the observed catalytic properties