The oxidation of benzyl alcohol by molecular oxygen in the liquid phase and catalyzed by Pt/ZrO2 using n-heptane as the solvent was studied. Pt/ZrO 2 was very active and 100 % selective for benzyl alcohol conversion to benzaldehyde. The catalyst can be separated by filtration and reused. No leaching of Pt or Zr into the solution was observed. Typical batch reactor kinetic data were obtained and fitted to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood, Eley-Rideal and Mars-van Krevelen models of heterogeneously catalyzed reactions. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood model was found to give a better fit. The rate-determining step was proposed to involve direct interaction of an adsorbed oxidizing species with the adsorbed reactant or an intermediate product of the reactant. H 2 O 2 was also proposed to be an intermediate product.n-Heptane was found to be an appropriate solvent in this reaction system.

Titanium oxide supported palladium (TiO 2 /Pd) and titanium oxide supported platinum (TiO 2 /Pt) nanoparticles were prepared from their precursors through the incipient wetness method. The TiO 2 /Pd and TiO 2 /Pt nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-rays (EDX), while the photodegradation study of methyl violet was performed by UV/VIS spectrophotometry. The morphological study shows that the Pd and Pt were well deposited on the surface of TiO 2 , which was confirmed by EDX. Both TiO 2 /Pd and TiO 2 /Pt nanoparticles were used as photocatalysts for the photodegradation of methyl violet in aqueous media under UV-light irradiation. The photodegradation study revealed that the TiO 2 /Pd and TiO 2 /Pt nanoparticles degraded about 95 and 78% of dye within 20 min, respectively. The effect of various parameters such as catalyst dosage, concentration of dye, and medium on the photocatalytic degradation was examined. The activity of recovered TiO 2 /Pd and TiO 2 /Pt nanoparticles was studied.

Toluene oxidation over platinum supported on zirconia under solvent free conditions in a batch reactor was studied in the temperature range 60-90°C. Molecular oxygen was used as oxidant. The catalyst was highly active and selective for benzoic acid formation. Some conversion to benzyl benzoate, trans-stilbene and methyl biphenyl carboxylic acid was also observed when the reaction was studied for [3 h. The reaction is taking place at considerably lower temperature than the reported solvent free oxidation reactions of toluene.

Silica monolith particles (SiO2) have been synthesized and utilized as support medium for nanoparticles synthesis. Silica supported tin oxide nanoparticles (SnO2/SiO2 NPs) and neat tin oxide nanoparticles (SnO2 NPs) are...

Clean liquid phase solvent-free oxidation of alcohol to aldehyde/ketone using ZrO 2 catalyst with molecular oxygen has been studied. Monoclinic phase ZrO 2 has been synthesized and characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX and surface and pore size analyses. Oxidation of alcohol was carried out in a typical batch reactor at different speed of agitation (150-1200 r/min), temperature (373-413 K), catalyst loading (50-300 mg) and partial pressure of oxygen (12-101 kPa). These parameters influence alcohol conversion as well as selectivity. A handy touch of kinetics was given to the experimental data and apparent activation energy was calculated.