Joe Douglas Druliner

Catalytic conversion of cyclohexylhydroperoxide to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol

Abstract The low-conversion air oxidation of cyclohexane yields a mixture of cyclohexylhydroperoxide, cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. The cyclohexyl-hydroperoxide is converted to additional cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol before the mixture is concentrated. Cobalt octoate is an active but short-lived catalyst for this transformation. Using a combination of pulse calorimetry and chemical luminescence techniques, a new family of long-lived catalysts has been discovered. These catalysts, based upon the (bis(2-pyridyl-imino)isoindolinato) ligand, are very active and long-lived, allowing cyclo-hexylhydroperoxide to be converted in a selective, low temperature process. The structure of one of these active catalysts, bis[bis((3-methyl-2-pyridyl)-imino)isoindolinato]cobalt(II), has been determined crystallographically. Under reaction conditions, it is likely that the active form of the catalyst has lost one ligand.