Olefin oxidation catalyst

Claim 2

A composition useful for the Wacker catalytic oxidation of olefins to carbonyl compounds comprising: (a) one or more suitable palladium components; (b) one or more suitable heteropolyacid or copper components; (c) one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, alkali metal sulfates, alkali metal salts of alkanoic acids, alkali metal salts of alkaryl sulfonic acids, and 1-alkyl pyridinium salts; and (d) at least one fluorocarbon compound conforming to the empirical formula: C.sub.x' F.sub.y' X.sub.z' wherein X is a halogen other than fluorine and y' is greater than x' and y' is greater than z'.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1 wherein (d) is at least one perfluorinated compound containing from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 2 wherein (d) contains perfluorodecalin.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 2 wherein (a) is palladium chloride, and (b) is H 9 [PMo 6 V 6 O 40 ].

Claim 6

The composition of claim 2 wherein (a) is palladium chloride, and (b) is CuCl 2 .

Claim 7

The composition of claim 2 wherein the diluent system contains water and decane.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 3 wherein the diluent system contains water and decane.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 4 where the diluent system contains water and decane.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 7 wherein (c) is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 5 wherein the diluent system contains water and decane.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 10 wherein (c) is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.

Claim 13

The composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is at least one compound selected from Groups (A) through (E), as follows: (A) Quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula (R"') 4 N + X - wherein R"' is an alkyl radical of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and wherein the total number of carbon atoms in said quaternary ammonium salt is from 8 to 30 carbon atoms; and wherein X is selected from the group consisting of Br - , Cl - , I - , F - , R"'CO 2 - , QSO 3 - , BF 4 - , and HSO 4 - , wherein Q is an aryl, alkaryl or arylalkyl radical of 6 to 10 carbon atoms; (B) Alkali metal alkyl sulfates of the general formula R' v OSO 3 M, wherein R' v is an alkyl radical having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms and wherein M is an alkali metal; (C) Alkali metal salts of alkanoic acids of the general formula R' v CO 2 M, wherein R' v and M have the same meaning as given above for the compounds of (B); (D) Alkali metal salts of alkaryl sulfonic acids of the general formula ##STR3## wherein R' v and M have the same meaning as given and wherein R v is an alkyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and wherein n is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 4; and (E) 1-Alkyl pyridinium salts of the general formula ##STR4## wherein R' v and X - have the same meanings as described above.