Copper complexes for catalytic, aerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons*
Shun-Ichi Murahashi**, Naruyoshi Komiya, Yukiko Hayashi, and Tatsuyuki
Kumano
Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering
Science, Osaka University, 1-3, Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531,
Japan
Abstract: Catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons can be performed
efficiently upon treatment with tert-butylhydroperoxide or peracetic
acid in the presence of a low-valent ruthenium catalyst. Furthermore,
aerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons can be performed in the presence of
acetaldehyde using ruthenium, iron, and copper catalysts. Copper derived
from copper chloride/crown ether or copper chloride/crown ether/alkaline
metal salts have proved to be efficient catalysts. Further study revealed
that specific copper complexes formed from copper salts and acetonitrile
are convenient and highly useful catalysts for the aerobic oxidation
of unactivated hydrocarbons.
* Lecture presented at the XIXth International Conference
on Organometallic Chemistry (XIX ICOMC) , Shanghai, China, 23-28 July
2000. Other presentations are published in this issue, pp. 205-376.
** Corresponding author
Back to Contents for access to full text