PROCESS FOR OXIDING UNSATURATED CYCLOALPHATIC HYDROCARBONS

1,214,493. Oxidation of unsaturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons. IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES Ltd. 21 May, 1968 [16 June, 1967], No. 27818/67. Heading C2C. The invention relates to a process for oxidizing an unsaturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon which comprises treating the hydrocarbon in liquid phase with a gas mixture containing molecular oxygen and a catalytic amount of ozone, i.e. an amount such that the oxidation produced exceeds that which would be affected by the oxygen and the ozone acting independently at the temperature of operation. Preferably the amount of ozone is from 1 to 6% of that theoretically needed to effect the oxidation if ozone were the only oxidizing agent and the proportion of ozone relative to oxygen in the gas mixture is from 0À05 to 10%. A metallic compound, e.g. a manganese or cobalt salt may be present as an oxidation catalyst. An inert diluent such as acetic or propionic acid may be used to increase the amount of oxidation and the process may be carried out in the presence of an alkaline substance, particularly magnesium oxide or sodium carbonate in order to reduce tha formation of high boiling by-products. Examples are given of the oxidation of cyclohexene, -octene, -dodecene and cyclooctadiene.