Ring Opening of Naphthene Hydrocarbons under Conditions of Thermal and Microwave Heating

A comparative study of the activity and selectivity of monometallic Ir-containing catalysts in ring opening reactions under conditions of thermal and microwave heating is performed using the example of cyclohexane. The hydrogenolysis of cyclohexane is shown to be possible with microwave activation. It is found that upon microwave heating, iridium-containing catalysts supported on titanium oxide and activated carbon allow 60% selectivity to be reached with respect to ring opening products at 30% conversion of the initial cyclohexane.