Study on the Mechanisms for Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation of Cyclohexanone with Hydrogen Peroxide in Different Systems

The green and effective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation reaction of cyclohexanone for preparing e-caprolactone is of particular importance in the synthesis of new polymer materials. We have discussed here several mechanism types of Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone with H2O2 in different reaction systems. Five main types have been addressed, i. e.： （1） the non-catalyzed reaction type, where the C=O of ketones is activated by H＋, which is electrolytically dissociated from H202 and H20, to improve the capability of C=O group for accepting the electron pairs; （2） the thermally activated radical reaction type, where the Criegee intermediate is produced via two steps of radical reaction with -OH attack, with much more hydroxyl radicals being excited in the presence of TS-1 zeolite; （3） the Bronsted acid catalysis reaction type, where both O-O moiety and C=O group could be activated by BriSnsted acid; （4） the solid Lewis acid catalyzed C=O of the substrate activation reaction type through enhancing the donor-acceptor interaction between the antibonding π＊c-o orbital of cyclohexanone and HOMO of Sn-containing zeolites; and （5） the solid Lewis acid catalyzed H202 to form Me-OOH oxidative species by converting the highest occupied molecular orbital （HOMO） of Ti-OOH into a singly occupied molecular orbital （SOMO）, making the O--O group highly electrophilic to attack the C--O of cyclohexanone during the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation process. In the end, we have also compared the different mechanisms and put forward our opinions on the development direction of catalytic materials aiming at eco-friendly Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone in the years to come.