Ionic liquid templated synthesis of cobalt‐substituted mesoporous aluminophosphates: A novel heterogeneous catalyst for selective oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol

Abstract

AbstractOrdered hexagonal mesoporous aluminophosphate and its cobalt‐substituted analogue were successfully synthesized using ionic liquid as a structure‐directing agent. The resulting materials were systematically characterized by various analytical, spectroscopic, and imaging methods, confirming the presence of divalent cobalt in the tetrahedral framework of the matrix. Further, the high surface area, pore volume, and thicker mesopore walls of these materials impart good thermal and hydrothermal stability. The mesoporous catalysts showed excellent activity towards the oxidation of cyclohexane reactions using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant, with 98.5 % conversion and 90.4 % selectivity towards cyclohexanol.