Liquid-phase hydrocarbon oxidation using supported transition metal catalysts: Influence of the solid support

The cyclohexane oxidation into cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone using several zeolite-encapsulated and activated carbon supported iron-phthalocyanine ca talysts was investigated in both batch and continuous reaction conditions. The catalytic activity and efficiency were shown to be strongly dependent o n the polarity of the solid support material. A substantial increase in the Si/Al ratio of the NaY zeolite resulted in a increase in hydrocarbon oxida tion reaction rate. Adsorption equilibrium of the different solid support m aterials was determined with an HPLC method. Initial reaction rate of the c yclohexane oxidation, obtained in a continuous reactor configuration, corre lated well with these adsorption data. A rapid catalyst deactivation was ob served under continuous reaction conditions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.