Abstract
Selective oxidation of cyclohexane in acetone solution has been studied using iron catalysts with hydrogen peroxide in-situ produced by palladium catalyst. Iron tetraphenylporphyrin chloride shows the highest activity among the tested chlorides and porphyrin complexes of some metals of the first transiton series. Iron chloride and iron tetraphenylporphyrin chloride were supported on four kinds of 4-vinylpyridine copolymer with styrene or divinyl-benzene. Nitrogen 1s photoelectron spectra give the evidence that pyridyl nitrogens of the 4-vinyl pyridine copolymer act as ligands to bind iron species. The copolymer with styrene is the most efficient support for the binding because its solubility in catalyst preparation solvent (methylene chloride) gives the pyridyl group advantage to contact with the iron catalysts. However, better catalytic activity per iron atom could be obtained with a rigid crosslinked polymer due to active site isolation.