Octahedral-based redox molecular sieve M-PKU-1: Isomorphous metal-substitution, catalytic oxidation of sec-alcohol and related catalytic mechanism

Mesoporous metal-organic framework NH2-MIL-101(Cr) as an efficient photocatalyst for the epoxidation of styrene

Oxidation of styrene is a key reaction in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals, and therefore oxidizing styrene with selective, efficient, and recyclable heterogeneous catalysts is significant from an environmental and economic standpoint. In this study, we report the transition Cr-based metal-organic framework [NH2-MIL-101(Cr)] as a heterogeneous photocatalyst, which efficiently promotes styrene epoxidation using H2O2 as a green oxidant, achieving high conversion efficiency (98%) and excellent selectivity (82%) under ambient conditions. Radical detection and quenching experiments reveal that the superoxide radical anion (O2˙-) acts as an active oxygen species, selectively promoting the oxidation of styrene to its oxidized form. This work provides insight into the development of a sustainable and cost-effective method for producing styrene oxide.

Identification of key oxidative intermediates and the function of chromium dopants in PKU-8: catalytic dehydrogenation of sec-alcohols with tert-butylhydroperoxide

t-BuOO* activated by Cr-PKU-8 from TBHP is the key intermediate to the highly selective dehydrogenation of sec-alcohols.

Titania-Catalyzed H2O2 Thermal Oxidation of Styrenes to Aldehydes

We investigated the selective oxidation of styrenes to benzaldehydes by using a non-irradiated TiO₂–H₂O₂ catalytic system. The oxidation promotes multi-step reactions from styrenes, including the cleavage of a C=C double bond and the addition of an oxygen atom selectively and stepwise to provide the corresponding benzaldehydes in good yields (up to 72%). These reaction processes were spectroscopically shown by fluorescent measurements under the presence of competitive scavengers. The absence of the signal from OH radicals indicates the participation of other oxidants such as hydroperoxy radicals (•OOH) and superoxide radicals (•O₂⁻) into the selective oxidation from styrene to benzaldehyde.

Continuous solid solutions constructed from two isostructural octahedron-based molecular sieves: preparation, acidity regulation and catalytic application in Strecker reactions

Al_xGa_1−x-PKU-1 solid solutions were used as acidity-tunable solid acids to catalyze the nucleophilic addition of the cyanide anion to imines.