Acetophenones platinum oxide catalyst

Platinum, especially as platinum oxide, has been used by many investigators. If this catalyst contains residual alkali, it is apt to be ineffective for aromatic ring reduction unless an acidic solvent is used (1,3,19) or unless the compound also contains a carbonyl group, as in acetophenone, where 1,4-and 1,6-addition are possible (46). Nickel, unless especially active, requires vigorous conditions—conditions that may promote side reactions. 

Promotion and deactivation of unsupported and alumina-supported platinum catalysts were studied in the selective oxidation of 1-phenyl-ethanol to acetophenone, as a model reaction. The oxidation was performed with atmospheric air in an aqueous alkaline solution. The oxidation state of the catalyst was followed by measuring the open circuit potential of the slurry during reaction. It is proposed that the primary reason for deactivation is the destructive adsorption of alcohol substrate on the platinum surface at the very beginning of the reaction, leading to irreversibly adsorbed species. Over-oxidation of Pt active sites occurs after a substantial reduction in the number of free sites. Deactivation could be efficiently suppressed by partial blocking of surface platinum atoms with a submonolayer of bismuth promoter. At optimum Bi/Ptj ratio the yield increased from 18 to 99 %. 

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