Trends in oxidation and buildup of conversion products of the hydroquinone–styrene epoxide–p-toluenesulfonic acid ternary system in a polar solution

Abstract

Addition of 1,4-dihydroxybenzene (hydroquinone) to the styrene epoxide–para-toluenesulfonic acid binary system subjected to oxidation in a solution of 90 vol % tert-butanol with 10 vol % chlorobenzene increases the styrene epoxide consumption rate and the rate of oxygen uptake by the system and leads to buildup of benzaldehyde. The ratio of the O₂ uptake rate to the overall rate of styrene epoxide consumption in the hydroquinone–styrene epoxide–para-toluenesulfonic acid ternary system is (V_O2/V_SE) ≈ 0.24 (343K), which is 3.5 times that for the epoxide–acid binary system.