Selective oxidation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone in the ionic liquid 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride.

Ionic liquid (IL) 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride was found to effectively intensify cyclohexanol oxidation and resulted in 100% conversion of cyclohexanol with 100% selectivity to cyclohexanone using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant and WO(3) as a catalyst. The effect of the IL as a solvent is discussed with the support of COSMO-RS theory.