Accelerated aerobic oxidative α-hydroxylation of 2-methylcyclohexanone with imidazolium ionic liquids

•An imidazolium ionic liquid catalysed strategy was suggested for aerobic α-hydroxylation of 2-methylcyclohexanone.•In IL media, anion was suggested to influence the reaction via local polarity. The ILs (BmimBF4 as model) could be separated by extraction with organic solvent directly.•Dissolved in DMSO, cation was proved to interact with carbonyl group and accelerate the reaction significantly with 1HNMR and ATR-FTIR.