Cocatalytic effect of cobalt acetate on aerobic cyclohexene oxidation catalyzed by manganese porphyrin

The cocatalytic effect of cobalt acetate on the manganese porphyrin-catalyzed oxidation of cyclohexene by molecular oxygen was investigated. The conversion of cyclohexene and the selectivity toward epoxide were significantly improved, whereas the formation of 2-cyclohexen-ol was restricted in the presence of the cocatalyst. A cocatalytic mechanism involving cobalt oxide ([Co-O-2](+)) as the active species for enhancing cyclohexene activity and selectivity toward epoxide was proposed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.