Catalytic oxidation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons

摘要

A process for the catalytic oxidation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in general and anthracene in particular in an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a ceric ammonium nitrate catalyst system wherein turnover ratios are increased by: (1) use of acetic acid as solvent; (2) use of pure molecular oxygen as the oxygen-containing gas; (3) use of ammonium vanadate as a promoter; and (4) addition of acetic anhydride to react with water produced as a by-product of the oxidation reaction. By use of the filtrate, remaining after removal of anthraquinone by filtration, to catalyze the oxidation of fresh anthracene, and by addition of nitric acid to restore catalytic activity after a series of oxidation reactions, anthraquinone is produced from anthracene in a continuous system.