Transition metal-substituted Keggin-type polyoxometalates as catalysts for adipic acid production

The adipic acid (AA) production was carried out in two stages: oxidation of cyclohexanone (-one) by Keggin-type polyoxometalate (POM), followed by oxidation of this latter by hydrogen peroxide. The process lasts 20 h and the temperature is maintained at 90 °C. AA is then recovered by cold crystallization (4 °C). The POMs have as formula HMPMo 12 O 40 (M:Co, Ni, Mn, Cu or Zn). The materials were characterized by FT-IR and UV–Vis spectroscopies and by thermogravimetric analysis. The purity of adipic acid was confirmed by FT-IR and 13 C and 1 H NMR analysis. The effects of POM composition, catalyst/-one molar ratio and the cyclohexanol addition to -one on adipic acid yield were examined. The whole catalysts were found to be effective toward cyclohexanone oxidation and the highest yield (53%) was obtained with HZnPMo 12 O 40 system for a catalyst/-one molar ratio of 1.89 × 10 −3 . The alcohol addition to -one has a negative effect on adipic acid formation.