Graphene vanadic acid (GVA) as a novel heterogeneous catalyst for highly selective benzene hydroxylation under mild conditions

Abstract

In the present study, Graphene Vanadic Acid (GVA) is introduced as a novel catalyst for high-efficiency hydroxylation of benzene to phenol using hydrogen peroxide at ambient conditions. Graphene oxide as a famous carbon support has converted to a high-performance catalyst through the functionalization using vanadium oxytrichloride (VOCl3). This new carbon compound is regarded as the efficient catalyst due to the prominent advantages such as high-recativity and reusability, facile preparation, active Lewis and Bronsted acid sites, high potential for development of various oxidation reactions, and high thermal, chemical, and physical stability due to the regular carbon structure. GVA progressed the benzene oxidation toward the phenol formation as a useful raw material. Cause of the considerable reactivity of the synthesized catalyst, a minimum amount of hydrogen peroxide was required and the benzene oxidation carried out using an equimolar ratio of benzene/H2O2, and phenol obtained with a remarkable yield (28.2%) as the sole product.