Effect of copper salts on hydrothermal oxidative decarboxylation: a study of phenylacetic acid

Decarboxylation of carboxylic acids is favored under hydrothermal conditions, and can be influenced by dissolved metals. Here, we use phenylacetic acid as a model compound to study its hydrothermal decarboxylation in the presence of copper( ii ) salts but no O 2 . Our results showed a strong oxidizing role of copper in facilitating oxidative decarboxylation. Efficient and selective effects of copper salts on hydrothermal oxidative decarboxylation have been discovered and studied.