A novel palladium catalyst for the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from carbon monoxide, water and oxygen

The synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from carbon monoxide, water and oxygen in a biphasic system using palladium complexes with bidentate nitrogen ligands as catalysts was investigated. After testing a series of phenanthroline derivatives, 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenylphenanthroline (8) was selected as the most efficient ligand. The palladium complex with ligand 8 showed high stability and catalytic activity (turnover number up to 600 moles of hydrogen peroxide per mole of palladium per hour) and, on the basis of a preliminary study, carried out in continuous operation mode, it appears a promising catalyst for the development of an industrial process. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.