The partial oxidation of isobutene in sub- and supercritical water

The task of this work was to investigate which kind of reaction pathway takes place under supercritical water conditions in the oxidation of isobutene with molecular oxygen. The reaction was examined at temperatures of 350-20degreesC, pressures of 25-35 MPa, uncatalyzed and under platinum-catalyses. Isobutyraldehyde was the main product. Tert-butanol was used as a source for isobutene, which dehydrates to isobutene quantitatively under the conditions used.