Oxovanadium(IV), copper(II) or cobalt(II) acetylacetone complexes immobilized on amino‐functionalized CMK‐3 for the aerobic epoxidation of styrene

Abstract

Oxovanadium(IV), copper(II) and cobalt(II) acetylacetone complexes have been grafted onto amino‐modified CMK‐3‐O (VO‐NH2‐CMK‐3, Cu‐NH2‐CMK‐3 and Co‐NH2‐CMK‐3,respectively) and the materials thus prepared were used as heterogeneous catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of styrene. X‐ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption–desorption and transmission electron microscopy measurements confirmed the structural integrity of the mesoporous hosts, and spectroscopic characterization techniques (Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray photoelectron, Raman) and thermogravimetry confirmed the ligands and the successful anchoring of the acetylacetone complexes to the modified mesoporous support. VO‐NH2‐CMK‐3 displayed a relatively good catalytic performance with 94.6% of styrene conversion using air as oxidant, while Cu‐NH2‐CMK‐3 gave 99.6% of styrene conversion using tert‐butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.