Acetic Acid → Benzoic Acid

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Cobalt (II) acetate tetrahydrate (lg, 0.004 moles), sodium bromide (lg, 0.01 moles), toluene (0.054 moles) and acetic acid (55 g) were charged to a vessel fitted with an overhead paddle stirrer, thermometer and condenser and heated to 80° C. Hydrogen peroxide (40%, 0.44 moles) was added dropwise down the condenser over 2 hours, during which time the reaction mixture changed colour from dark blue to pink. The reaction was continued for a further two hours when it was stopped and the reaction mixture analysed by HPLC. The analysis revealed that 90.6% of the toluene had been consumed, yielding products including benzaldehyde (29.0% yield) and benzoic acid (55.6% yield).

Provenance & Evidence