Tilak Wijesekera

Perfluoroalkylporphyrin complexes as active catalysts for the reaction of isobutane with oxygen and the decomposition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide

A new family of metalloporphyrin complexes having perfluoroalkyl groups in the meso-positions of the ring are active catalysts for the oxidation of isobutane to tert-butyl alcohol, TBA, and for the decomposition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide to TBA. This discovery extends the limited number of meso-substituents that can be used to enhance catalytic activity and fits the postulate that groups that withdraw electrons from the porphyrin periphery give rise to active catalysts for alkane oxidation. The perfluoroalkyl groups also confer oxidative stability, hydrophobicity and lower cost to the catalyst.