Optimization of the synthesis of campholenic aldehyde from α-pinene epoxide with Cu/MCM-41

Abstract

The Cu/MCM-41 catalyst was synthesized by incipient wet impregnation and characterized by XRD, XPS, TPD-NH_3, and N₂ adsorption-desorption. The effect of different reaction conditions (temperature, time, type of solvent, and amount of catalyst) on the isomerization reaction of α-pinene epoxide was evaluated to obtain camphoric aldehyde with the Cu/MCM-41 catalyst, which had not been previously reported for this kind of reaction. The experiment was based on a central composite experimental design composed by response surface analysis. The best campholenic aldehyde selectivity was found to be 85% (5 mg of catalyst, 70 °C, 0.5 h and the use of ethyl acetate as a solvent). Furthermore, the main factors and their combinations that had the greatest significance in the synthesis were adjusted to a polynomial second order model. The factors with the main influence on conversion were the catalyst amount, reaction time, solvent type, and the combined factor between catalyst amount and the solvent type. In the case of campholenic aldehyde selectivity no significant factor was found.