1,3-Diisopropylbenzene → Bis(1-methylethyl)benzene

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Three hundred parts of m-diisopropylbenzene (m-DIPB) were mixed with 30 parts of m-diisopropylbenzene monohydroperoxide (MHP; initiator) and 10 parts of 4% aqueous sodium hydroxide (catalyst) in a 1 liter Parr reactor and oxidized by passing air at the rate of 20 liters/hour with good agitation. The temperature of the oxidation reaction mixture was maintained at about 90° C. The oxidation was continued until the product contained 70 to 75% hydroperoxide (determined by the iodimetric titration and calculated as diisopropylbenzene monohydroperoxide). NMR analysis of this oxidation material (oxidate) showed the presence of about 15-18% m-diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide (DHP) and 3 to 5% m-diisopropylbenzene hydroxyhydroperoxide (HHP) in addition to the oxidation by-products shown in Table 1, below, and unreacted DIPB.

Provenance & Evidence