Catalytic Aerobic Oxidation of Cycloalkanes with Nanostructured Amorphous Metals and Alloys

Under mild conditions (40 atm O(2), 28 degrees C, 10-15 h), an efficient aerobic oxidation of cycloalkanes to cycloalkanols can be achieved using nanostructured amorphous metals such as Fe and Co and an amorphous alloy like Fe(20)Ni(80) as catalysts. For example, cyclohexane is oxidized to cyclohexanol with 32-41 % conversion, while 1-adamantanol is formed from adamantane with 52-57 % conversion.