Catalytic Oxygen Absorption with the Styrene Epoxide–Hydroquinone–Copper(II) Chloride Ternary System in Aqueous tert-Butanol

This paper describes oxidation of a ternary system (styrene epoxide (SE)—hydroquinone (Hq)—Cu(II) chloride) with oxygen in the solvent (tert-butanol/water (4 : 1 by volume)). The expression of the rate in the concentration: V = k[CuCl2]1[SE]0[Hq]0 at [SE] > [Hq] > [CuCl2] is explained by the formation of the ternary complex, antecedent of oxidation. The effective rate constant of the oxidation is k [s–1] = 92.5 exp (–22/RT) at 323–343 K. The ratio of concentration of absorbed oxygen to copper catalyst [O2] /[CuCl2] $$ \gg $$ 1, i.e., the oxidation is a catalytic reaction.