Advantages and limitations of catalytic oxidation with hydrogen peroxide: from bulk chemicals to lab scale process

21st century global market place is moving towards subtainable development and without this approach our future would be at risk. Today's chemical industries need to give more focus for the planet through improving the environmental footprints of fuels and chemicals manufacturing processes. Oxidation and hydrogenation processes are widely used in the production of chemicals and fuels. Oxidation processes are especially important to convert petroleum-based materials to useful petrochemicals of higher oxidation state. Many existing oxidation processes, however, still rely on the use of stoichiometric oxidants, such as dichromate/sulfuric acid, permanganates, periodates, chromium oxides, osmium oxide etc., and remain a major source of environmental pollution. Therefore, oxidation processes using eco-friendly oxidizing agents such as molecular oxygen, ozone and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are incresingly becoming important to improve the environmental sustainability. Hydrogen peroxide is especially attractive for the liquid-phase oxidation due to the presence of high percentage of active oxygen and the production of water as only by-product. As a result, H2O2-based eco-friendly oxidation processes are gradually replacing some well-established processes such as production of propylene oxide, caprolactam, phenol etc. Moreover, recent advances in the area of oxidation catalysis is promoting H2O2-based technologies to emerge as a frontline, eco-friendly sustainable processes. H2O2 is also finding greater applications in pulp/paper industries and waste water treatment as a substitute of chlorine-based oxidizing agents. Herein, we have analyzed various reactions using H2O2 as an oxidant and their recent advancement to bring important aspects of H2O2-based oxidation processes and catalysis. Moreover, various aspects of using H2O2 toward development of sustainable oxidation processes have been analyzed with respect to factors affecting the end uses in chemical industry such as efficiency, catalyst and reaction pathways. We have reviewed manufacturing trends of H2O2 and emerging applications of H2O2 in sustainable oxidation processes. Critical discussions have also been made on the opportunities and challenges with emerging H2O2 based oxidation processes in the production of bulk as well as specialty chemicals.