2026: Volume 5, Issue 2
Past Issues
PDFSelective Oxidation of Ethylbenzene Using Hydrotalcite-like Compounds as Catalysts
Kalpendra B Rajurkar1, 2, Mahesh R. Didgikar1,3, Sunil S. Tonde1, Sunil S. Joshi1 and Nitin S. Pagar1, 4*
1Homogeneous Catalysis Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, India
2Tide Water Oil India Ltd, Mumbai, India
3Symbiotec Pharmalab Limited, 385/2, Pigdamber Rau, Mhow, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
4Post Graduate, Department of Chemistry, Sir Parashurambhau College (Empowered Autonomous) Pune, India
*Corresponding author: Nitin S. Pagar, Homogeneous Catalysis Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, 411008, India, Phone: +91 020 24331978, Email: [email protected], ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3141-3356
Received Date: April 19, 2026
Published Date: October 08, 2026
Citation: Rajurkar KB, et al. (2026). Selective Oxidation of Ethylbenzene Using Hydrotalcite-like Compounds as Catalysts. Catalysis Research. 5(2):23.
Copyright: Rajurkar KB, © (2026).
ABSTRACT
Oxidation of ethylbenzene in a liquid-phase was tested with unique hydrotalcite-type materials serving as catalysts, the reaction proceeds without the need for an acid, with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) acting as the oxidizing agent. Hydrotalcite (HTLc) versions with cobalt have demonstrated significant catalytic activity and remarkable selectivity for producing acetophenone. The effects of key reaction parameters, including temperature, catalyst loading, ethylbenzene concentration, and TBHP amount, on the conversion and product distribution were systematically investigated. The catalytic activity and product selectivity were strongly influenced by the metal composition and relative abundance of metal ions within the HTlc structure, as well as by the solvent and reaction conditions. Among the investigated catalysts, Co-Al-HTlc exhibited the most favorable catalytic performance, affording acetophenone selectivity above 93% with reasonable ethylbenzene conversion under optimized conditions. The Co-Al-HTlc catalyst also demonstrated good structural stability and could be reused, while the cobalt species remained predominantly in the Co(II) oxidation state throughout the reaction. These results demonstrate the potential of Co-Al-HTlc as a robust heterogeneous catalyst for the selective oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone using TBHP.
Keywords: Acetophenone, Cobalt, Catalyst, Ethylbenzene, Hydrotalcite, Oxidation, TBHP