The oxidation of ethylene-1,2-d2 over a silver catalyst studied by microwave spectroscopy

Abstract

Stereospecific ethylene-1,2-d2 was oxidized to ethylene oxide-1,2-d2 over Ag catalysts in a flow reactor at 180-280 [deg]C. The epoxide products did not completely randomize for any of the reaction conditions explored. Using a catalyst with good selectivity, 57.5 +/- 1% of the epoxide had the same configuration as the starting material; with a less selective catalyst 54.0 +/- 1% was found. Variation of temperature did not affect the results for either catalyst. It was possible to increase slightly the percentage retention by decreasing the catalyst bed or increasing the flow rate through the reactor. Types of surface processes that can be eliminated by these observations were discussed as well as several hypotheses that can account for the deviations from complete randomization.