Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol Using Cobalt Oxide Supported Inside and Outside Hollow Carbon Spheres

Pumza Mente; Victor Mashindi; Tumelo N Phaahlamohlaka; Thabo N Monyatsi; Roy P Forbes; Neil J Coville

doi:10.1002/open.202000312

Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol Using Cobalt Oxide Supported Inside and Outside Hollow Carbon Spheres

ChemistryOpen. 2021 Jun;10(6):618-626. doi: 10.1002/open.202000312. Epub 2021 May 2.

Authors

Pumza Mente^{1

2}, Victor Mashindi², Tumelo N Phaahlamohlaka², Thabo N Monyatsi², Roy P Forbes², Neil J Coville^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, University of the Witwatersrand, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
² Molecular Sciences institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Abstract

Cobalt oxide nanoparticles (6 nm) supported both inside and outside of hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) were synthesized by using two different polymer templates. The oxidation of benzyl alcohol was used as a model reaction to evaluate the catalysts. PXRD studies indicated that the Co oxidation state varied for the different catalysts due to reduction of the Co by the carbon, and a metal oxidation step prior to the benzyl alcohol oxidation enhanced the catalytic activity. The metal loading influenced the catalytic efficiency, and the activity decreased with increasing metal loading, possibly due to pore filling effects. The catalysts showed similar activity and selectivity (to benzaldehyde) whether placed inside or outside the HCS (63 % selectivity at 50 % conversion). No poisoning was observed due to product build up in the HCS.

Keywords: alcohol oxidation; benzaldehyde; cobalt; heterogeneous catalysis; hollow carbon spheres.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding