Trends in oxidation and buildup of conversion products of the hydroquinone–styrene epoxide–p-toluenesulfonic acid ternary system in a polar solution

Abstract

Addition of 1,4-dihydroxybenzene (hydroquinone) to the styrene epoxide–para-toluenesulfonic acid binary system subjected to oxidation in a solution of 90 vol % tert-butanol with 10 vol % chlorobenzene increases the styrene epoxide consumption rate and the rate of oxygen uptake by the system and leads to buildup of benzaldehyde. The ratio of the O2 uptake rate to the overall rate of styrene epoxide consumption in the hydroquinone–styrene epoxide–para-toluenesulfonic acid ternary system is (V O2/V SE) ≈ 0.24 (343K), which is 3.5 times that for the epoxide–acid binary system.