Adipic Acid Route: Oxidation of Cyclohexene Vs. Cyclohexane
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catalysts Article Adipic Acid Route: Oxidation of Cyclohexene vs. Cyclohexane Ana P. C. Ribeiro 1 , Elisa Spada 2, Roberta Bertani 2 and Luísa M. D. R. S. Martins 1,* 1 Centro de Química Estrutural and Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; [email protected] 2 Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy; [email protected] (E.S.); [email protected] (R.B.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +351-218-419-389 Received: 20 November 2020; Accepted: 8 December 2020; Published: 10 December 2020 Abstract: A cleaner alternative to the current inefficient oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid is presented. Direct oxidation of neat cyclohexene by aq. hydrogen peroxide to adipic acid is selectively achieved in good yield (46%), in the presence of the recyclable C-homoscorpionate iron(II) complex 3 [FeCl2{κ -HC(pz)3}] (pz = pyrazol-1-yl) and microwave irradiation, by a nitrous oxide-free protocol. Keywords: cyclohexene; adipic acid; oxidation; nitrous oxide; C-scorpionate; iron; microwave; ionic liquid; recyclable 1. Introduction Adipic acid (AA) is a highly relevant commodity produced at a large scale (over 3.5 mio metric tons/year and growing by ca. 5%/year) [1,2] worldwide, as it constitutes a building block for several industrial processes. It is mostly used for the synthesis of Nylon-6,6 polyamide; therefore, the rising demand for engineered plastics requires increased production of AA. Currently, adipic acid is mainly obtained by an inefficient and environmentally harmful two-step process [1,3] involving catalytic cyclohexane oxidation to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone mixture followed by its oxidation with nitric acid. Thus, AA production is the largest source of industrial greenhouse gas N2O emissions (300 kg of N2O per ton of produced adipic acid) [2], which corresponds to 8% of the worldwide anthropogenic N2O emissions. In addition, cyclohexane oxidation is a low-efficiency industrial process, with conversions usually lower than 10% to ensure a selectivity of 80% for the cyclohexanol/cyclohexanone mixture [1,4]. Therefore, the development of a sustainable catalytic system for such a large-scale process is a task of high significance. In this work, we present a nitrous oxide-free alternative oxidative process (Scheme1a), using cyclohexene (instead of cyclohexane) as substrate, the environmentally acceptable aqueous H2O2 as oxidant, and employing a known [5–7] efficient homogeneous catalyst for the oxidation of cyclohexane, 3 the hydrotris(pyrazol-1-yl)methane Fe(II) complex [FeCl2{κ -HC(pz)3}] (pz = pyrazolyl) (Scheme1b) [ 8], not yet applied for alkene oxidations. The iron compound exhibits a tetragonal pyramid coordination polyhedron bearing one of the donor nitrogen pyrazolyl atoms at the axial position and where the iron atom has a vacant coordination site that could be easily occupied by a substrate [9]. In addition, this complex is easy (one step) to synthesize [8] at r.t. and requires the simplest ligand of the tris(pyrazol-1-yl)methane carbon scorpionate class. C-scorpionate tripodal ligands, with their three N atoms of the pyrazolyl moieties, are recognized to be involved in key catalytic oxidative processes with aq. hydrogen peroxide [8]. 3 Moreover, [FeCl2{κ -HC(pz)3}] displays high solubility in aqueous solvents [7], favoring the use of this oxidant. Furthermore, the alternative energy source of microwaves (MW) was chosen, aiming at Catalysts 2020, 10, 1443; doi:10.3390/catal10121443 www.mdpi.com/journal/catalysts Catalysts 2020, 10, 1443 2 of 7 enhancing product yield and selectivity while being more energy-efficient and economic relative to Catalystsconventional 2020, 10 thermal, x FOR PEER heating REVIEW methods (e.g., oil bath) [10–12]. 2 of 7 Cl N N Fe C H N N Cl N N (a) (b) 3 3 3 Scheme 1. ((aa)) Oxidation Oxidation of of cyclohexene cyclohexene to to adipic adipic acid acid catalyzed catalyzed by by [FeCl [FeCl2{κ2{-HC(pz)κ -HC(pz)3}];3 (}];b) ([FeClb) [FeCl2{κ 2- 3 {HC(pz)κ -HC(pz)3}] structure.3}] structure. 3 The[FeCl iron2{κ compound-HC(pz)3}] exhibits has proven a te itstragonal catalytic pyramid activity coordination for the selective polyhedron peroxidative bearing oxidation one of the of donorcyclohexane nitrogen to the pyrazolyl cyclohexanone atoms and at cyclohexanol the axial position mixture (upand to where ca. 35 %the max iron overall atom yield) has [ 6–a9 ,vacant13–17] coordinationbut neither further site that oxidized could be species easily were occupied formed by undera substrate the used [9]. In conditions, addition, northis was complex the complex is easy (oneassayed step) with to synthesize alkene substrates. [8] at r.t. and requires the simplest ligand of the tris(pyrazol-1-yl)methane carbonCyclohexene scorpionate oxidative class. C-scorpionate cleavage with tripodal H2O2 hasligands, been with used their by Noyori three N et atoms al. [18 ,19of ]the as onepyrazolyl of the moieties,most promising are recognized and environmentally to be involved tolerable in key routes catalytic to adipic oxidative acid, althoughprocesses the with price aq. of hydrogen peroxide impaired[8]. Moreover, its industrial [FeCl2{κ implementation.3-HC(pz)3}] displays Thus, high finding solubility a suitable in aqueous catalyst solvents would be[7], crucial favoring for the use sustainability of this oxidant. of this Furthermore, process. the alternative energy source of microwaves (MW) was chosen, aiming at enhancing product yield and selectivity while being more energy-efficient and economic 2. Results and Discussion relative to conventional thermal heating methods (e.g., oil bath) [10–12]. 3 3 [FeClThe present2{κ -HC(pz) [FeCl3}]2{ κhas-HC(pz) proven3}]-based its catalytic new activity catalytic for system the selective afforded peroxidative adipic acid directlyoxidation from of cyclohexanethe selective oxidationto the cyclohexanone (by H2O2, 4.2 and equiv.) cyclohexanol of cyclohexene mixture in a (up good to yieldca. 35 (46%, % max Figure overall1) after yield) 24 h [6– of 9,13–17]MW irradiation but neither at 60 further◦C, without oxidized the needspecies of nitricwere acid,formed another under strong the used oxidant, conditions, additive nor or was solvent the complex(see experimental, assayed with ESI). alkene Moreover, substrates. AA precipitates from the reaction mixture, allowing its separation by filtrationCyclohexene and prompt oxidative isolation cleavage in a with pure H form2O2 has (see been Figure used S1, by ESI). Noyori et al. [18,19] as one of the mostcis promising-cyclohexane-1,2-diol, and environmentally its α-hydroxy-ketone tolerable routes derivative to adipic and acid, the although lactone 7-hydroxyoxepan-2-one the price of hydrogen wereperoxide also impaired detected its by industrial GC-MS and implementation.1H and 13C NMR Thus, techniques. finding a Thesuitable time catalyst evolution would of the be reaction crucial formixture the sustainability composition of is depictedthis process. in Figure 1. The unprecedented use of low-power MW irradiation in the present route to AA proved the ability 2.of Results this method and toDiscussion reduce the reaction time and energy consumption, thus being advantageous over the conventional heating method. For example, 24 h of water bath heating at 60 C of the above-mentioned The present [FeCl2{κ3-HC(pz)3}]-based new catalytic system afforded◦ adipic acid directly from reaction mixture led exclusively to cis-cyclohexane-1,2-diol. the selective oxidation (by H2O2, 4.2 equiv.) of cyclohexene in a good yield (46%, Figure 1) after 24 h of MWThe irradiation effect of theat 60 addition °C, without of a the free need radical of nitr scavengeric acid, another (CBrCl strong3 or Ph oxidant,2NH) in additive the peroxidative or solvent (seeoxidation experimental, medium ESI). was Moreover, evaluated, AA leading precipitates to a drastic from decrease the reaction in all mixture, product allowing yields, thus its separation indicating bythe filtration radical involvement and prompt inisolation the first in step a pure of the form oxidation (see Figure process. S1, ESI). Then, for Baeyer–Villiger oxidation and hydrolyses,cis-cyclohexane-1,2-diol, follow [18,19 ]its (Scheme α-hydroxy-ketone1). derivative and the lactone 7-hydroxyoxepan-2- 3 one wereThe stabilityalso detected of the by homogeneous GC-MS and 1H catalyst and 13C [FeClNMR2 {techniques.κ -HC(pz)3 The}] was time assessed evolution at theof the end reaction of the 3 mixtureMW-assisted composition oxidation is reaction.depicted Thein Figure far-infrared 1. spectrum of the used [FeCl2{κ -HC(pz)3}] (Figure S2, ESI) shows that the genuine ν(Fe-Cl) bands [7] are maintained after the catalytic oxidation reaction. However, its activity in a further catalytic cycle was minimal. The catalyst observed deactivation may be due to the coordination of a water molecule (e.g., from the oxidant solution) to the free site of the iron coordination sphere, thus blocking the previously vacant position and impairing the access of the substrate to it. Catalysts 2020, 10, 1443 3 of 7 The potential recyclability of the iron catalyst was explored by using room-temperature ionic liquids, ILs, as reaction media. Tetradecyltrihexylphosphonium dicyanamide ([P6,6,6,14][N(CN)2], ® CYPHOS 105), hexylmethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, [C6mim][NTf2] [NTf2 = ® N(SO2CF3)2] and methyltrioctylammonium chloride ({[CH3(CH2)7]3NCH3}Cl, Aliquat 336), the last one known as an efficient phase transfer catalyst for the oxidation of cyclohexene [18], were chosen in 3 view of their ability to act as suitable solvents for [FeCl2{κ -HC(pz)3}]. The conversion of cyclohexene Catalysts 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 7 exhibited a marked dependency on the IL used, as depicted in Figure2. 100 80 60 40 20 0 Relative amount (%) of substrate and products and substrate of (%) amount Relative 0 4 8 12162024 Time / h Figure 1.