Oxidation

Around 20% of DSM's current business is generated by oxidative transformations. These activities are supported by an ongoing multi-center program, which focuses on the identification of new oxidation technologies and their further development in-house. Our facility in Linz also offers the world's largest plant for performing large-scale ozonolysis reactions.

The program focuses on four chemical transformations:

• Oxidative C=C cleavage (currently the most important in-house technology)
• Stereoselective alkene epoxidation and hydroxylation
• Alcohol oxidation
• Allylic and benzylic oxidation

To effect these transformations, technologies are being developed based on the oxidants:

• Singlet oxygen
• Oxygen
• Ozone
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Sodium periodate
• N-halo-succinimides

The common feature of these oxidizing agents is that their reduction products are either environmentally benign (water, succinimide), or in-house techniques have been developed to recycle them (N-halo-succinimides, NaIO4).