Oxygen Absorption by the Ternary Styrene Epoxide-Copper(II) Chloride-Ionol System in a Methanol Solution

Oxidation by molecular oxygen of the ternary styrene epoxide (SE)-CuCl2-ionol (IOL) system in a methanol solution is studied. It is found that the rate of oxidation V is directly proportional to [IOL], and the orders of SE and copper chloride are fractional, equal to 0.4 and 0.5, respectively. It is shown for the first time that the oxygen uptake is characteristic of analogous ternary systems, which include epoxides of a different structure instead of SE. The specificity of the action of the chloride anion in oxidation was revealed: the ternary SE-Cu(II) acetate-ionol system does not absorb oxygen. The introduction of sodium chloride into this system activates oxidation. The SE-NaCl-ionol system is not oxidized, but the introduction of Cu(II) acetate into it causes the absorption of oxygen. The experiment proves the necessity of the presence of the chloride anion for the oxidation of the ternary system.