Oxidized Derivatives of n-Hexane from a Water/Argon Continuous Flow Electrical Discharge Plasma Reactor

A non-thermal continuous flow plasma reactor with a liquid water stream and argon carrier gas is shown to convert n-hexane and water into alcohols, alkenes, ketones, hydroperoxides, alpha-hydroxy-ketones and diketones. Fragmented (short chain) primary alcohols, fragmented aldehydes and fragmented carboxylic acids are also formed. The variation of the supply voltage and oxygen concentration allows moderate fine-tuning of yield and selectivity of this organic “diversity-oriented” synthetic process. A (pH based) procedure for rapid separation of the organic hydroperoxides has been developed. Computationally determined thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of several reaction pathways support their feasibility. The construction of a mechanistic pathway map was accomplished, providing deeper insight into this radical and plasma based transformation process.