Development of oxidation systems using hydrogen peroxide for synthesis of fine chemicals

Abstract

Present health and daily life rely on synthetic materials such as pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, synthetic fibers, and plastics, which are mainly produced by multi-step chemical conversions of petroleum products. However, the current standards of chemical synthesis need to be much improved. Oxidation is a core technology for converting petroleum-based materials to useful chemicals in higher oxidation states. Aqueous hydrogen peroxide is an ideal oxidant, because the atom efficiency is excellent and water is the only theoretical side product. A catalytic system consisting of ternary catalyst (tungsten complex, phase transfer catalyst, and phosphonic acid) allowed epoxidation of various olefins using aqueous 30 % hydrogen peroxide without any organic solvent. Palladium catalysts were also very effective for oxidation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to the corresponding acids under mild conditions without organic solvent or halogen-containing chemicals. Additionally, kilogram-scale syntheses of super-fine chemicals using hydrogen peroxide in collaboration with commercial laboratories confirmed the individual targeted result for various products.