Selective Oxidation of Ethane to Acetic Acid Catalyzed by a C-Scorpionate Iron(II) Complex: A Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Comparison.

ABSTRACT

The direct, one-pot oxidation of ethane to acetic acid was, for the first time, performed using a C-scorpionate complex anchored onto a magnetic core-shell support, the Fe3O4/TiO2/[FeCl2{κ3-HC(pz)3}] composite. This catalytic system, where the magnetic catalyst is easily recovered and reused, is highly selective to the acetic acid synthesis. The performed green metrics calculations highlight the "greeness" of the new ethane oxidation procedure.