LIQUID-PHASE OZONATION OF CYCLOHEXANOL CATALYZED BY COBALT(III) ACETYLACETONATE

Liquid-phase oxidation of cyclohexanol has been studied in a semibatch reactor using an ozone-oxygen mixture as oxidant and cobalt(III) acetylacetonate as catalyst. The influence of temperature, ozone partial pressure, and catalyst loading on cyclohexanol conversion and product distribution has been observed. The experiments carried out in the presence of catalyst yield a product distribution very different from that obtained from the noncatalytic oxidation: cyclohexanol conversion observed is higher, peroxide products are not formed, and cyclohexanone and adipic acid yields increase in the presence of catalyst. A reaction mechanism accounting for the main oxidation products has been proposed. The initial oxidation rate of cyclohexanol and formation rates of cyclohexanone and adipic acid have been obtained from an empirical equation that fits experimental data with deviations lower than +/- 10%.