Property and Performance of CuO/γ-Alumina Nanocomposites for the Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds

Abbas Zarei and Amin Ebadi^*

Department of Chemistry, Kazerun Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazerun, Iran

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1919

ABSTRACT: Copper oxide supported on γ-alumina nanoparticles were prepared and were well characterized. In this study catalytic activities of the supported copper oxide for oxidation of cyclohexene to 2-cyclohexene-1-ol, 2-cyclohexene-1-one and cyclohexene oxide with TBHP and H₂O₂ as the oxidant, in the liquid phase were considered. For the CuO/γ-alumina nanocomposites, acetonitrile as the solvent was employed. The products of the catalysis are 2-cyclohexene-1-ol, 2-cyclohexene-1-one and cyclohexene oxide. The conversion percent of cyclohexene depended on oxidant, solvent and the catalyst. TBHP was found to be better oxidant than H₂O₂ since minimal destruction of the catalyst and higher conversion of cyclohexene were observed when this oxidant was employed. Under these reaction conditions, the order of catalytic activities is as follows: 10%CuO/γ-alumina > 15%CuO/γ-alumina > 5%CuO/γ-alumina. When the reaction was catalyzed with γ-alumina without any CuO, the reaction yield and conversion were reduced considerably compared to those of supported γ-alumina. With 10% CuO supported on γ-alumina nanoparticles and under our experimental conditions, the conversion percent of cyclohexene is 84.9%.

KEYWORDS: Oxidation; γ-Alumina Nanoparticles; Supported; CuO; Cyclohexene

[ HTML Full Text]