Cumene liquid oxidation to cumene hydroperoxide over CuO nanoparticle with molecular oxygen under mild condition

CuO nanoparticle was synthesized via wet chemical method and was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Catalytic oxidation of cumene with molecular oxygen was studied over CuO nanoparticle. The catalysts showed markedly higher activities as compared to CuO prepared by conventional method, CuO/Al2O3, or homogeneous copper catalyst under comparable reaction conditions. The cumene conversion, cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) yield, and selectivity using 0.25 g CuO nanoparticle catalyst and 0.1 mol cumene at 358 K for 7 h were 44.2%, 41.2% and 93.2%, respectively. The catalyst can be recycled. After 6 recycled experiments, no loss of catalytic activity was observed.