The Ultimate Challenge Direct Oxidation of n-Hexane to AA

The oxyfunctionalization of linear alkanes at the terminal position is one of the major challenges of catalysis in the case of n-hexane, oxidation at the two terminal C atoms would lead to AA. However, there is a little amount of n-hexane in cracker streams, because it is easily converted to benzene. Therefore, sourcing of this hydrocarbon would be a challenge. 

With microporous Co(III)- and Mn(III)-aluminophosphates, MnAPO-18 and CoAPO-18, unprecedented terminal selectivities have been reported in w-hexane oxidation with oxygen on structures with small eight-ring windows (0.38 nm) [43l-pj. This created a ready access to the Co site by the terminal group of the linear alkane, with the alkane gaining entry into the interior of the porous catalyst with an end-on approach, thus limiting the oxyfunctionalization at the other C atoms. With both 

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