Pillared clays as heterogeneous catalyst for alkane oxidation: low cost and green free-metal transition systems

• Grant number: 07/08202-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2008
• End date: January 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Dalmo Mandelli
• Grantee: Anielle Cristina Nozella Do Amaral
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Química. Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-CAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Oxidation of organic compounds has been extensively studied during the last decades. The products, alcohols, ketones, epoxides, diols and peroxides, are key raw materials for a wide variety of chemicals, polymers and fragrance. Much effort has been done to develop new catalysts for these reactions, using cleaner process that generate smaller amounts of by-products, so-called green-process. The most profitable and clean oxidants are molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. The aim of this work is to study the oxidation of cyclohexane and cyclooctane with H2O2 under mild conditions catalyzed by pillared clays as montmorillonite K-10 and other one, a Brazilian natural clay. Due to the potential application by the industry as well as the low cost and reduced environmental impact of the catalyst, the reaction conditions will be optimized. In the last part of the project the best system will be applied to the epoxidation of cyclooctene and terpenes as limonene present in higher amounts in Brazilian plants. (AU)