Critical phenomena in ethylbenzene oxidation in acetic acid solution at high cobalt(II) concentrations

Abstract

Critical phenomena in ethylbenzene oxidation in an acetic acid solution at high cobalt(III) concentrations (from 0.01 to 0.2 mol L⁻¹) were studied at 60–90 °C by the gasometric (O₂ absorption), spectrophotometric (Co^III accumulation), and chemiluminescence (relative concentration of radical RO₂ ^·) methods. These phenomena are as follows: (1) increase in the oxidation rate above the theoretical limiting rate of radical autooxidation (k ₃ ²[RH]²/2k ₆); (2) achievement of a maximum and a sharp decrease in the oxidation rate and concentration of radical RO₂ ^· with the further increase in the Co^II concentration (existence of critical concentrations). The oxidation rate increases due to the reaction RO₂ ^· + Co^II + H⁺ → → ROOH + Co^III, while the inhibition effect is caused by the decay of RO₂ ^· radical involving two cobalt(II) atoms: RO₂ ^· + 2 Co^II → R′CO + Co^III + Co^II (k(70 °C) ≈ 300 L² mol⁻² s⁻¹). The detailed scheme (through the formation of the complex RO₂ ^·Co^II) describing the conjugation of these reactions was proposed.