Hydrocarbons oxidation with hydrogen peroxide over germanic faujasites catalysts

Highly crystalline near-faujasite Na-GeX, and its protonated and sulfated forms have been prepared and used as catalysts fur the oxidation of several hydrocarbons with different structures (benzene, toluene, cyclohexane) in the presence of H2O2. The catalysts have been characterized using surface area measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared (IR) techniques. The catalytic experiments have been performed both at normal and autogenic pressure. Autogenic pressures highly improved the oxidation degree of the hydrocarbons. It was found that the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the presence of H2O2 depended not only on the formation of Ge-peroxo species but also on the acidic properties of the catalyst, and also involved the activation of O-2 formed in situ. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.