The Efficient Oxidation of Alkanes by Hydrogen Peroxide in Pyridine Mixed Solvents Catalysed by Copper and Other Transition Metal Salts

The catalytic activity of Cu^II, Fe^III, Co^II, Ru^III, Ni^II and other transition metal salts in the oxidation of cyclododecane by H₂O₂ was studied for several mixed solvent systems PyX−S−H₂O = 2:1:0.09 (volume ratio), were PyX is pyridine (Py) or substituted pyridines, and S = MeCN, Bu’OH or acetone; the highest yield, ca. 25% of alkane conversion and 10% efficiency for H₂O₂, was found for Py-MeCN mixtures.