A. Fasi et I. Palinko, Changes in the hydrogenative ring-opening mechanism of cyclohexene oxide over Cu/SiO2 resulting from the addition of cyclohexene, a major product, CATAL LETT, 58(2-3), 1999, pp. 103-106
The ring-opening mechanism influencing effect of a major product in the cyc
lohexene oxide-D-2 system was investigated over a Cu/SiO2 catalyst. This pr
oduct is cyclohexene, thus, the hydrogenative ring opening of a 1:1 cyclohe
xene oxide-cyclohexene mixture was studied in the presence of D-2 at 403 K
in a closed circulation reactor. It was found that the mechanism of single
C-O scission was not affected, but that of the double C-O scission was chan
ged. Simultaneous bond cleavage was the major route of ring opening in the
additive-free system and it became consecutive on cyclohexene addition. Add
ed cyclohexene was hydrogenated with a very low rate, but it transformed th
e surface of the catalyst and, thus, facilitated the change in the mechanis
m. An explanation concerning the seemingly anomalous lack of deuterium in a
product (cyclohexane) not seen in the additive-free system is also suggest
ed.