The Liquid-phase Oxidation of the Methylbenzenes by the Cobalt-Copper-Bromide System

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.54.2724

The liquid-phase oxidation of the methylbenzenes catalyzed by a catalyst system composed of cobalt(II) and copper(II) acetates and sodium bromide was carried out in the acetic acid at 150 deg C.The corresponding benzyl acetates and benzaldehydes were obtained in high selectivities in most cases.A nuclear-brominated product, i.e., 3-bromo-4-methoxytoluene was also obtained in the oxidation of p-methoxytoluene, wich has two different reaction sites, i.e., o-positions to the electron-donating methoxyl substituent and the benzyl position.However, the substitution of the bromide ion for the acetate ion in the catalyst system gave satisfactory selectivities for the side-chain oxidation products.In the p-xylene oxidation, α,α'-diacetoxy-p-xylene and p-(acetoxymethyl)benzoic acid were also obtained, as well as p-methylbenzyl acetate, though their amounts were small.The oxidation of polymethylbenzenes was also carried out.