Method for partially and selectively oxidizing alcohols to esters or carboxylic acids
US4793905A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 1987 |
| Grant date | Dec 27, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S204/03
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A transition metal electrocatalyst surface (e.g. a porous surface of finely divided Group VIII or Group I-B metal with an attached current collector) is modified by a sulfur treatment, using an oxidized sulfur species of average sulfur oxidation state of about 4 or less, e.g. SO.sub.2 dissolved in aqueous acid. Treatment of the transition metal with SO.sub.2 or the like typically provides up to 100% coverage of the surface electrocatalyst sites with chemisorbed sulfur-containing species and perhaps subsurface effects as well, but washing or other non-electrochemical techniques can remove 5-90% (e.g. 25-70%) of the chemisorbed SO.sub.2 or the like from the surface, leaving substantially only a very strongly bound form of the sulfur-containing species. The strongly bound sulfur-containing species can then be reduced to form a highly beneficial, selectivity-improving pattern of sites containing reduced --S (e.g. sulfur or sulfide) on the electrocatalyst surface. Electrochemical synthesis cells can be constructed from a cathode and/or anode made form the S-treated electrocatalyst and used in highly selective syntheses of useful organic and inorganic compounds from various starting mate…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.