Investigation of a new oxidative catalytic system involving Jacobsenʹs catalyst in the absence of organic solvents Original Research Article

In this work, the commercially available Jacobsenʹs catalyst, Mn(salen), was occluded in a hybrid polymeric membrane based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). This system was used as a catalytic barrier between two different phases: an organic substrate phase (cyclohexane, cyclooctene, cyclohexene or styrene) in the absence of solvent, and an aqueous solution of either t-BuOOH or H2O2. Such system was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, TGA, DTA, DSC, and SEM techniques. The occluded complex proved to be an efficient catalyst for the oxidation of alkanes and alkenes when t-BuOOH was used as oxidant. However, the hybrid polymeric membrane was a barrier against H2O2, preventing this oxidant from reaching the bulk of the membrane and oxidizing the substrate.