Enhanced Selective Production of Carbonyl Products for Aerobic Oxidation of Benzylic Alcohols over Mesoporous Fe2O3 Supported Gold Nanoparticles

Abstract

Ordered mesoporous Fe2O3 supported gold nanoparticles with a desired specific surface area and porous structure (Au/meso-Fe2O3) was successfully fabricated with a hard templating method by using KIT-6 as the template. The morphology and physico-chemical properties of Au/meso-Fe2O3 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), etc. The gold nanoparticles are highly dispersed on the surface of the mesoporous Fe2O3. The catalytic performance of the synthesized catalyst was studied for the aerobic oxidation of benzylic alcohols in β–O–4 linked lignin model dimers to the corresponding carbonyl products under atmosphere pressure. Au/meso-Fe2O3 shows an enhanced activity for the aerobic oxidation of 1-phenylethanol in comparison with that of Au/bulk-Fe2O3. The promoted catalytic activity is related to the confined porous structure of mesoporous Fe2O3 and more boundaries contact between gold and meso-Fe2O3, which shows that the porous structure of the support has a significant influence on the activity of gold catalysts.

Highlights of the Nanocatalysis in Organic Chemistry

“…In addition, the nature of the nanoparticles support can have a significant influence on their catalytic performance. This aspect is addressed in several papers of this section [1,2].…”

“…Chen et al [1], successfully fabricated highly ordered mesoporous Fe 2 O 3 supported gold nanoparticles with a desired specific surface area and porous structure (Au/meso-Fe 2 O 3 ) a hard templating method by using KIT-6 as the template. The catalytic performance of the synthesized catalyst was studied for the aerobic (by molecular oxygen) of oxidation benzylic alcohols in β-O-4 linked lignin model dimers to the corresponding carbonyl products under atmosphere pressure.…”