A new strategy for alkane oxidation with O2 using N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) as a radical catalyst

Abstract

A practical catalytic method to convert alkanes into the corresponding oxygen‐containing compounds with O2 under mild conditions using N‐hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) in the presence or absence of a transition metal was developed. Thus, cyclohexane was successfully converted into adipic acid in good conversion and selectivity by a combined catalytic system consisting of NHPI and Mn(acac)2. Lower alkane such as isobutane was converted into t‐butyl alcohol (83%) under 10 atm of air by NHPI‐Co(OAc)2 system. Alkylbenzene such as toluene was oxidized to benzoic acid in high yield (81%) under normal temperature and pressure of dioxygen in the presence of a catalytic amount of NHPI and Co(OAc)2. ESR measurements showed that phthalimide‐N‐oxyl generated from NHPI under dioxygen atmosphere is a key species in this oxidation and functions as a radical catalyst.