The oxygenation of cyclohexane and toluene by O₂ and H₂O₂ catalyzed by VO(acac)₂ and Co(acac)₂ was studied at 40–100 °C and 1–10 atm. Upon such conditions, the process can be remarkably (30× times) enhanced by the minute (6–15 mM) additives of oxalic acid (OxalH) or N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI). The revealed effect of OxalH on H₂O₂-piloted oxidation is closely associated with the nature of the catalyst cation and boosted by VO(acac)₂. Whereas the effectiveness of Co(acac)₂-based systems was curbed by the addition of OxalH and remained much below the one displayed with the previous system. The observed conspicuous difference in activity was attributed to the substantially higher solubility of in situ formed VO(IV)oxalate compared to that of Co(II)oxalate. The exploration of H₂O₂ for the NHPI-promoted process leads to the decisively lower (5–7 times) yield in comparison to the O₂-driven reaction. Similarly, for the O₂-operated protocol, the yield cannot be improved by addition of OxalH either to VO(acac)₂ + NHPI or to Co(acac)₂ + NHPI mixture. By contrast, the combination of NHPI with VO(acac)₂ or Co(acac)₂ and particularly with the above two mixtures in O₂-piloted oxidation enhances the yield of the aimed products 3–6 times regardless of the substrate used. The revealed significant synergetic effect of the cobalt + vanadyl bicomponent catalyst was due to the participation of each of its moiety in the different stages of the process mechanism. Only benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde were identified in VO(acac)₂- or Co(acac)₂-catalyzed toluene oxidation, while cyclohexane oxidation yields cyclohexylhydroperoxide in line with cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone. The putative mechanism of investigated processes is highlighted and discussed.

Cyclohexane oxidation by H₂O₂ to cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexylhydroperoxide under mild (40 °C, 1 atm) conditions is significantly enhanced in the system composed of VO(acac)₂ (starting catalyst) and small additives of oxalic acid (process promoter).

This study affords the experimental evidences elucidate the putative mechanism of the bee comb establishing. Furthermore, the first time discerned skewed triangular prism in the bottom of the cells ab initio built up by Apis mellifera carpatica indicates that the traditional rhombic dodecahedra is not mandatory element of the comb architecture. The revealed oddity is inherent to about one third of the whole number of the cells constitute the analyzed patterns. The building abnormality presumably developed from the primeval manner of cells construction and may be triggered with the volatile natural factors e.g. geographic location and climatic zone, variety of floral shapes, duration of active season as well as bee race. Disclosed constructional diversity mirror the reaction of the colonies on the highlighted disturbances and might be stipulated by the bees’ ability to engineering prowess.