| The catalytic selective oxidation of ethane and deep oxidation of toxic organics is described. In the former system, hydrogen peroxide and a trace of either ethene or propene initiated the conversion of ethane to propionic acid and 1,1,1-trifluoromethyl-2-butanone by trifluoroacetic anhydride at 80;In the latter system, metallic palladium in water was found to catalyze the deep oxidation of a wide variety of functionalized organics by dioxygen at 80-90;By replacing the carbon monoxide with dihydrogen much higher rates of destruction were then obtained for nitro substituted organics and phenols. With nitro compounds dihydrogen's ability to partially reduce the substrate is ascribed to the increase in reactivity. With substituted phenols the prior hydrogenation of the substrate facilitated decomposition. Increased hydrogen peroxide production could be ruled out as a reason for increased rates since organophosphorus and organosulfur substituents reacted at the same or slower rates with hydrogen as compared to carbon monoxide. Even higher rates of destruction could be obtained by replacing the aqueous solvent with a perfluoroacid-water mixture. |
