A zinc sulfide-supported iron tetrakis (4-carboxyl phenyl) porphyrin catalyst for aerobic oxidation of cyclohexane

Abstract

Zinc sulfide-supported iron tetrakis (4-carboxyl phenyl) porphyrin (Fe TCPP/ZnS) was prepared and used for aerobic cyclohexane oxidation. X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were carried out. The effects of oxygen pressure, reaction temperature, amount of iron tetrakis (4-carboxyl phenyl) porphyrin (Fe TCPP) and reaction time on the Fe TCPP/ZnS-catalyzed cyclohexane oxidation process were investigated. Fe TCPP/ZnS exhibited excellent activity for aerobic cyclohexane oxidation. Under optimal reaction conditions, the turnover number, cyclohexane conversion, cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol yields were 8.6 × 10⁵, 64.9% and 24.4%, respectively. The stability of Fe TCPP was improved after immobilization on zinc sulfide (ZnS), and the catalyst maintained nearly original levels of activity after several reaction cycles.