Unconventional Oxidants for Gas-Phase Oxidations

Patricio RUIZ, Alejandro KARELOVIC and Vicente CORTES CORBERAn  

The atmospheric concentration of N2O has been relatively constant for many centuries ( 270ppbv). The present-day N2O atmospheric concentration is about 310 ppbv, which means a 9% increase from pre-industrial levels (285 ppbv), at an 

Patricio Ruiz, Alejandro Karelovic and Vicente Cortes Corberdn 

Success in the catalytic oxidation of benzene to phenol has proably been a source of encouragement for the application of N2O as an oxidant for other reactions. It has been suggested that the dissociation of N2O allows the formation of a particular oxygen species (called a-oxygen) which is able to be inserted into the C-H bond, forming a hydroxyl group. This observation has served as input to study other reactions in the presence of N2O as oxidant. 

In the following sections, recent advances concerning the use of N2O as an oxidant of different hydrocarbons are described. Very early or extremely recent publications have not been considered. The work presented in these publications continues to be valid and can complement interpretations this is a useful contribution to improving knowledge so new processes can be developed. Only results presented in the literature in the last few years and describing new advances in this field have been considered. 

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