Polymer supported catalyst for the effective autoxidation of cumene to cumene hydroperoxide

Abstract

The autoxidation of cumene to cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) in the presence of catalyst which was prepared by adsorbing copper(II) acetate onto polymer support, was investigated. When a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer with sulfonic acid functional groups was used as a support, the resulting catalyst had no catalytic activity. When a macroreticular acrylic polymer containing carboxylic acid exchange groups was used as a support, an effective catalyst was obtained. In the presence of this catalyst (0.2 g Cu(OAc) 2-BR-0.6 per 10 mL of cumene) at 353 K, the steady autoxidation rate is 84% faster than that initiated with CHP; the selectivity is 99% at 6.8% conversion. The catalyst is stable at 383 K. Furthermore, the catalyzed cumene autoxidation rate increases linearly with copper acetate loading as well as the amount of catalyst. But when the steady autoxidation rate increases, the selectivity to cumene hydroperoxide reduces, but is still satisfactory. Hence, it is possible to speed up the cumene autoxidation rate by raising the reaction temperature, using catalysts with high metal loading and using more catalyst.