Selective photooxidation of hydrocarbons in zeolites by oxygen
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsHeinz Frei, Fritz Blatter, Hai Sun
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Abstract
A selective photooxidation process for the conversion of hydrocarbon molecules to partially oxygenated derivatives, which comprises the steps of adsorbing a hydrocarbon and oxygen onto a dehydrated zeolite support matrix to form a hydrocarbon-oxygen contact pair, and subsequently exposing the hydrocarbon-oxygen contact pair to visible light, thereby forming a partially oxygenated derivative.
Claims20
A process for a selective photooxidation of alkyl benzenes, said process comprising the steps:
- (a) preparing a zeolite support matrix by dehydrating a zeolite selected from the group consisting of BaY, NaY and CaY zeolite under vacuum at temperature from about 150.degree. to about 250.degree. C. for about 12 to about 16 hours;
- (b) loading the alkyl benzene in amount about 10 .mu.mol onto about a 10 mg pellet of the dehydrated zeolite support matrix having an electrostatic field about at least 0.2 V/.ANG., at pressure from about 1 to about 10 Torr;
- (c) introducing oxygen into the matrix of step (b) under vacuum from about 400 Torr to about 7600 Torr;
- (d) irradiating the matrix of step (c) with a visible light in yellow or red region having a wavelength of about 400 to about 590 nm at temperatures from about -100.degree. to about 80.degree. C. for about one to ten hours;
- and
- (e) producing an alkene oxidation product with about at least 80% selectivity.
A process for preparation of cyclohexanone by a selective photooxidation of cyclohexane, said process comprising the steps:
- (a) preparing a zeolite support matrix by dehydrating a zeolite selected from the group consisting of BaY, NaY and CaY zeolite under vacuum at temperature from about 150.degree. to about 250.degree. C. for about 12 to about 16 hours;
- (b) loading cyclohexane onto the dehydrated zeolite support matrix having an electrostatic field at least 0.2 V/.ANG.;
- (c) introducing oxygen into the matrix of step (b) loaded with cyclohexane under vacuum from about 400 Torr to about 6080 Torr;
- (d) irradiating the matrix of step (c) with a visible light having a wavelength from about 400 to about 550 nm;
- and
- (e) selectively generating cyclohexanone as a final product with at least 95% selectivity.
A process for a selective photooxidation of alkanes, said process comprising the steps:
- (a) preparing a zeolite support matrix by dehydrating a zeolite selected from the group consisting of BaY, NaY and CaY zeolite under vacuum at temperature from about 150.degree. to about 250.degree. C. for about 12 to about 16 hours;
- (b) loading the alkane in amount about 10 umol onto about a 10 mg pellet of the dehydrated zeolite support matrix having an electrostatic field above 0.2 V/.ANG., at pressure from 10-1000 Torr;
- (c) introducing oxygen into the matrix of step (b) under vacuum from about 400 Torr to about 7600 Torr;
- (d) irradiating the matrix of step (c) with a visible light in yellow or red region having a wavelength of about 500 to about 700 nm at temperatures from about -100.degree. to about 30.degree. C. for about one to ten hours;
- and
- (e) producing an alkane oxidation product with about at least 80% selectivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.