Low-pressure and Temperature Oxidation of 1,2-Dichlorobenzene Using Ozone and Metal-Loaded TiO2 Catalysts

At low temperature and pressure (20 (o) C and 1 atm), the oxidation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene using ozone and metal (Mn, Ni, V, and Fe) supported on TiO2 catalysts was investigated in this study. The metal loaded on TiO2 catalysts were prepared using the wet impregnation method and characterized using FT-IR, XRD, SEM-EDX, BET, TEM, and ICP-OES techniques. 1,2-dichlorobenzene was oxidized for 24 h and the sample aliquots were collected after 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 h of ozonation. The ozonation products were identified using GC-MS and FT-IR techniques and the identified products were 3,4-dichloro-2,5-furandione (DHF) and mucochloric acid (MCA). The 2.5% Fe/TiO2 was found to be the most active catalyst with a percentage conversion of 73% after 24 h of ozonation. Among the identified products, MCA recorded the highest percentage selectivity after 24 h of ozonation in all the metal-supported TiO2 catalyzed ozonation reactions. The highest percentage of selectivity towards the formation of the main product was 97%.