Katsuya Uehara

Oxidation of olefins with mercuric salts-active charcoal catalysts

Abstract Catalytic reactions of olefins with mercuric salts supported on active charcoal in the presence of oxygen and steam yield unsaturated carbonyl compounds as major products. For proceeding the reaction catalytically, the active charcoal treated with nitric acid was essential as a carrier. The comparison with homogeneous oxymercuration on the kinetics, product distributions and reactivities of olefins suggested that the heterogeneous reactions proceed through each σ-complex and σ-allyl complex.