COMPLEX-FORMING REACTIONS BETWEEN COPPER COMPOUNDS AND MAGNESIUM SALTS.

In the oxidation of ethylbenzene over a mixed catalyst based on a compound of a variable valence metal and magnesium naphthenate an increase in the selectivity of the process to hydroperoxide, and the appearance of a synergistic effect consisting of a nonadditive increase in the initial rate of buildup of 1-phenylethyl hydroperoxide are observed. To explain the observed effect it has been suggested that a catalytically active metallocomplex is formed between the components of the catalyst mixture. The technique of electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy has been used to demonstrate the existence of metallocomplexes of this type. Examination of the absorption spectra of solution of Cu(acac)//2 in chloroform (substitution of chloroform for ethylbenzene enables the concentration of Cu(acac)//2 to be increased; the extinction coefficient of copper complexes in the visible region is low) shows that there is no shift in the absorption maximum on adding MgNf//2 to the solution.