Phosphotungstic Acid Supported on MgAl2O4 Nanoparticles as an Efficient and Reusable Nanocatalyst for Benzylic Alcohols Oxidation with Hydrogen Peroxide

In this study, a novel nanocatalyst (MgAl2O4@SiO2-PTA) was recommended for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic methods, such as X-ray diffraction, SEM, FT-IR, EDX, ICP-AES, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis. In this paper, magnesium aluminate spinel (MgAl2O4), used as the supporting catalyst, provides the recycling and reusing the catalyst and also increases the efficiency of the reaction. The nanocomposite was investigated as a catalyst for the selective oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant and water as a solvent. Primary alcohols were converted to aldehydes but secondary alcohols were converted to ketones. Benzylic alcohols have better oxidative reactions than aliphatic alcohols. Among the oxidation reactions of the benzylic alcohols investigated in this project, the oxidation reaction of 1-phenylethanol to acetophenone was more efficient than other reactions (98%). This nanocatalyst is environmentally friendly because it could be recovered by simple filtration. The catalyst was used five times successfully without any changes or loss of its high catalytic activity.