Low temperature solvent-free allylic oxidation of cyclohexene using graphitic oxide catalysts

Abstract

A range of graphitic oxides have been utilised as metal free carbocatalysts for the low temperature oxidation of cyclohexene. The activity of the catalysts was correlated with the amount of surface oxygen on the graphitic oxide. In the case of cyclohexene oxidation, major selectivity is observed to allylic oxidation products. This is in contrast to the epoxide being the major product in linear alkene oxidation. This selectivity was maintained over long reaction times and at a conversion of above 50 %. Only small amounts of epoxide were observed, which eventually decreases at higher conversion due to hydrolysis to cyclohexane diol. The similarity between the non-catalysed and the catalysed product distribution suggests that these catalysts act as a solid initiator, and the role of the graphitic oxide is to decrease the lengthy induction period observed in the blank non-catalysed reaction.