Catalytic properties of metals of the 2nd and 12th groups in cumene oxidation

Using kinetic modeling, a comparative study of the catalytic properties of metals of the 2nd and 12th groups (Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cd, Hg) in the composition of 2-ethylhexanoates was carried out in the industrial cumene oxidation. It has been established that: 1) in terms of the combination of catalytic properties (acceleration of cumene oxidation and selectivity), it is necessary to recognize Mg and Cd to be the best: Mg accelerates the process more strongly than Cd, but Cd lowers the selectivity to a lesser extent relative to the selectivity of the non-catalytic process (the selectivity at a low initial catalyst concentration is comparable to the selectivity of a non-catalytic process); 2) the values of the accumulation rate of cumene hydroperoxide (target product) in the industrial cumene oxidation correlate with the values of the covalent atomic radii of the corresponding metals.