THE INFLUENCE OF SOLVENTS ON THE PARTIAL OXIDATION OF CYCLOHEXANE

This publication describes the kinetics of the one-step liquid-phase o xidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol in solutions . Effects of the solvents were examined on the selectivity/conversion relation with regard to the intermediates cyclohexanol and cyclohexano ne and their ratio in the reaction mixture. Measurements were carried out in a semibatch reactor at constant temperature (165 degrees C), an d pressure (20 bar) without adding any catalysts. The experimental res ults can be modeled using a simplified reaction-network. Two models, s pecific- and unspecific-solvation, were employed to describe the influ ence of solvents on the different pathways of the developed oxidation network. The specific solvation model is based on the equilibrium betw een associated and free intermediates. Unspecific influence of the sol vents on the reaction-rate can be explained by modeling the reaction-r ate constants on the basis of the Kirkwood equation using the dielectr ic constant of the reaction mixture.