The aerobic epoxidation of alkenes with an aldehyde as a co-reagent is an efficient and useful method for the production of fine chemicals. In this study, the interactions of molecular oxygen with its each component are measured. Dichloromethane is choosen as solvent. Pivalaldehyde, 2-ethylbutyraldehyde and heptanal are chosen as aldehydes. Aldehydes having tertiary and secondary carbon next to carbonyl carbon are found to produce ultraviolet contact charge transfer (CCT) absorption band with molecular oxygen (O2).
Electronic absorption spectra, CCT complex, epoxidation