Catalytic performance of TS-1 in oxidative cleavage of 1-alkenes with H2O2

Trace dimethoxymethane (DMM) was formed by aldol condensation of formaldehyde with methanol in industrial propene oxide production via a hydrogen peroxide (HPPO process). Probing the behaviour of catalytic action in oxidative cleavage reaction of C=C bond of alkene is urgently needed for the development of production technology. Using 1-hexene as a probe, the oxidation of alkenes with H2O2 was investigated via titanium silicalite-1 (TS-1) catalysis. Influences of solvent, temperature, additives and H2O2/alkene molar ratio on alkene conversion and oxidation product distribution were studied. Interestingly, besides the epoxidation products, aldehydes were also produced by double-bond oxidative cleavage in this system. The results showed that ethyl acetate as solvent was favor for the generation of aldehyde, but the additives [Na2HPO4 center dot 12H(2)O (A) and NaH2 PO4(B)] could significantly inhibit it. These phenomena indicated that the catalytic oxidative cleavage of 1-hexene in TS-1/H2O2 system was probably based on an addition and cleavage oxidation process in an acidic environment.