AUTHOR=Xu Shurui , Wu Jie , Huang Peng , Lao Chunwen , Lai Hanchao , Wang Yuxiong , Wang Zhenyu , Zhong Guoyu , Fu Xiaobo , Peng Feng TITLE=Selective Catalytic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzaldehyde by Nitrates JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry VOLUME=8 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2020.00151 DOI=10.3389/fchem.2020.00151 ISSN=2296-2646 ABSTRACT=
In this paper, ferric nitrate was used to oxidize benzyl alcohol in a mild condition and demonstrated its better performance compared to HNO3. In the reaction, the conversion rate and product selectivity could be both as high as 95% in N2 atmosphere, while the benzaldehyde yield also reached 85% in air. Similar to Fe(NO3)3·9H2O, the other metallic nitrates such as Al(NO3)3·9H2O and Cu(NO3)2·3H2O could also oxidize the benzyl alcohol with high activity. The applicability of Fe(NO3)3·9H2O for other benzylic alcohol was also investigated, and the reaction condition was optimized at the same time. The results showed the Fe(NO3)3·9H2O would be more conducive in oxidizing benzyl alcohol under the anaerobic condition. The experiments in N2 or O2 atmospheres were conducted separately to study the catalytic mechanism of Fe(NO3)3. The results showed the co-existence of Fe3+ and