Dual-Site Cooperation of Ce/Mn2O3 Catalyst for Efficient Oxidation

Efficient O2 activation over metal oxides is crucial for achieving aerobic catalytic oxidation under mild conditions. In this work, the Ce/Mn2O3-5 catalyst was demonstrated to exhibit superior catalytic oxidation performance. This enhanced performance is attributed to the synergy between surface Mn2+ and highly dispersed CeO2 species, which play key roles in the activation of O2 and adsorption of substrates, respectively. The Ce/Mn2O3-5 catalyst with only 1.31 wt % CeO2 content exhibited high activity for alcohol/aldehyde oxidations, even enabling the oxidation of benzyl alcohol at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This work also highlights the importance of confined Mn2+ sites in oxidation reactions.