Solvent-free selective oxidation of toluene with O2 catalysed by anion modified mesoporous mixed oxides with high thermal stability

Abstract

A series of anion intercalated transition metal hydroxides and their calcined mixed metal oxides were prepared for the solvent-free selective oxidation of toluene with O2. The results revealed that the anion modified mixed metal oxides showed much better catalytic performance than their parent hydroxides. Moreover, the anions were also found to play important role in the catalytic performance and thermal stabilities of modified catalysts. Unexpectedly, iodide ion exhibited high thermal stability in the mesoporous structures of mixed metal oxides even at high temperatures of 1073K. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the highest toluene conversion reached 15.5% with 100% of the selectivity to benzaldehyde.