Prospects for the use of Zn, Cd and Hg 2-ethylhexanoates as catalysts for cumene oxidation

The effect of Zn(EH)2, Cd(EH)2 and Hg(EH)2 (EH is 2-ethylhexanoate) on cumene oxidation has been established. The use of these catalysts will make it possible to solve a number of tasks that are relevant for cumene oxidation running under industrial conditions, namely: 1) the task of reducing the oxidation time to achieve the required cumene conversion; 2) the task of increasing cumene conversion regardless of the stage of oxidation compared to non-catalytic oxidation (this will reduce the consumption of the recycle stream in the industrial process); 3) the task of accelerating cumene oxidation even in the absence of an initiator at the initial moment of time; 4) the task of maintaining the selectivity of the process even in the late stages of oxidation at a relatively low concentration of the catalyst. The most appropriate catalyst for industrial use is Cd(EH)2 because ROOH·Cd(EH)2 intermediate adduct decomposes most rapidly into free radicals.