Ifj. Vankelecom et al., OXIDATION OF CYCLOHEXANE USING FEPCY-ZEOZYMES OCCLUDED IN POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE MEMBRANES, Journal of catalysis, 163(2), 1996, pp. 457-464
Cyclohexane is selectively oxidized by tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide at
room temperature using a catalyst consisting of iron phthalocyanine i
n zeolite Y (FePcY) occluded in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane
. Different experimental setups are used to study the effect of the me
mbrane incorporation on the catalytic performance. Embedding this cata
lyst in PDMS results in a new system with considerably higher activity
which makes the controlled addition of peroxide redundant. Separating
the two immiscible reactant phases, the membrane eliminates the need
for a solvent. In addition, it actively controls the concentration of
the reactants near the active sites by fine-tuning their respective so
rptions. The result is a substrate/oxidant ratio which is beneficial f
or the reaction. Evidence for this active role is established in the a
nalysis of the composition of the membrane phase after reaction. (C) 1
996 Academic Press Inc.