Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chulalongkorn University, 2002

The oxidation reactions catalyzed by soluble transition-metal complexes in a class of carboxylate and acetylacetonate were explored. Various factors influencing the reaction were evaluated. It was turned out that among nine metal carboxylates and five metal acetylacetonates studied, Cr(III)stearate was the most appropriate catalyst for cyclohexane oxidation using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as an oxidant in terms of good yield of desired products and the selectivity one/ol ratio. Other substrates such as cyclododecane, cyclohexanol, 1,4-cyclohexanediol, cyclohexanone, cyclohexene, alpha-methyl styrene, ethyl benzene and diphenyl sulfide could be transformed into their oxidized products in moderate to high yield. Supported by the regioselectivity study of adamantane oxidation the mechanistic pathway of this developed system was believed to take place via radical fashion.