What happened when toulene reacts to ceo2 or H+
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Answer:
Normally, I would have anticipated that Ce(IV) oxidation of toluene in acidic medium would result in the formation of Benzaldehyde and possibly further oxidation to Benzoic acid.
However, the following paper suggests that the main product is Benzyl Alcohol (C6H5CH2OH), as well as trace amounts of Benzaldehyde (C6H5CH=O). This is somewhat unexpected.
The oxidation of toluene by Cerium(IV) has been followed spectrophotometrically in the solution containing H2SO4, Na2SO4 and NaClO4. The effects of toluene, hydrogen ion and sulfate ion concentration as well as of the ionic strength on the reaction rate have been studied. The main reaction product, identified by gas-chromatography, is benzyl alcohol, besides a small amount of benzaldehyde. The kinetic study revealed a two-stage process. In the first stage, an adduct between toluene and Ce(IV) is formed, undergoing electron transfer during the second stage. Both stages obey first-order kinetics relative to Ce(IV). A complex dependence of pseudo-first-order rate constants on toluene, sulfate and hydrogen ions has been found. Activation parameters are calculated for adduct formation and oxidation process respectively, and a reaction mechanism has been suggested