AN EFFICIENT AEROBIC OXIDATION OF VARIOUS ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS CATALYZEDBY MIXED ADDENDA HETEROPOLYOXOMETALATES CONTAINING MOLYBDENUM AND VANADIUM

Various organic compounds were oxidized by molecular oxygen in the pre sence of a catalytic amount of mixed-addenda heteropolyoxometalates co ntaining molybdenum and vanadium. The catalytic activity of the molybd ovanadophosphate was found to be greatly enhanced by supporting on cha rcoal. The supported catalyst has high catalytic activity for oxidativ e dehydrogenation of benzylic and allylic alcohols to the correspondin g aldehydes and ketones (46-92%), nevertheless, the non-supported cata lyst was inactive for the same oxidations under these conditions. 2,3, 6-Trimethylphenol was selectively oxidized to trimethyl-p-benzoquinone , which is a precursor of vitamin E, in the presence of a catalytic am ount of molybdovanadophosphate. In addition, the aerobic oxidation of amines, alkyl-substituted phenols, and alkanes were also examined.