Kinetics of oxidation of lower olefins with Fe(III) aqua ions in the presence of the Pd/ZrO2/SO4 precatalyst in a chloride-free system

The kinetics of oxidation of ethene, propene, and 1-butene with Fe(III) aqua ions to the corresponding carbonyl compounds in the presence of the 1% Pd/ZrO₂/SO₄ precatalyst in aqueous perchloric acid at 40–80°C was studied. The oxidation rate increases in the order C₂H₄ < C₄H₈ < C₃H₆ and with increasing catalyst weight and in the acid and Fe(III) concentrations; it is independent of the olefin pressure. The ethene oxidation rate is described by the Michaelis-Menten equation. In the case of 1-butene, the reaction is accompanied by migration of the double bond with the formation of 2-butene.