title: One-pot room-temperature conversion of cyclohexane to adipic acid by ozone and UV light.
abstract: Nitric acid oxidation of cyclohexane accounts for ~95% of the worldwide adipic acid production and is also responsible for ~5 to 8% of the annual worldwide anthropogenic emission of the ozone-depleting greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). Here we report a N2O-free process for adipic acid synthesis. Treatment of neat cyclohexane, cyclohexanol, or cyclohexanone with ozone at room temperature and 1 atmosphere of pressure affords adipic acid as a solid precipitate. Addition of acidic water or exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation (or a combination of both) dramatically enhances the oxidative conversion of cyclohexane to adipic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China. kchwang@mx.nthu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Kuo Chu
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Arunachalam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sagadevan
mesh_terms: D000272:Adipates / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D003510:Cyclohexanes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010126:Ozone / Q000737:chemistry; D011312:Pressure; D013696:Temperature; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000272:Adipates; D003510:Cyclohexanes; C506365:Cyclohexane; D010126:Ozone; C029900:adipic acid; D009609:Nitrous Oxide