Combination of best promoter and micellar catalyst for chromic acid oxidation of 1-butanol to 1-butanal in aqueous media at room temperature

•The importance of this study is that the oxidation has been carried out in aqueous micellar media.•Chemist’s increasing interest to carry out the organic transformation preferably in aqueous media.•Oxidation of 1-butanol totally converts the toxic hexavalent chromium into the non-toxic trivalent chromium.•PA, bipy and phen used as promoters to accelerate the reaction rate in presence and absence of SDS, CPC and TX-100.•Combination of SDS and bipy is the most efficient one for the oxidation of 1-butanol to 1-butanal.

In aqueous acidic media, picolinic acid, 2,2′-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline promoted Cr(VI) oxidation of 1-butanol produces 1-butanal. 1-butanal is separated from mixture by fractional distillation. The anionic surfactant (SDS) and neutral surfactant (TX-100) accelerate the process while the cationic surfactant (CPC) retards the reaction. Combination of bipy and SDS is the best choice for chromic acid oxidation of 1-butanol to 1-butanal in aqueous media.

Graphical abstractSchematic representation of partitioning of substrate and active oxidant [AO+ = Cr(VI)-bipy complex] in (a) cationic surfactant and (b) anionic surfactant.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide