β-mCoPc/Cu-BDC composites for oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde

A composite β-mCoPc/Cu-BDC is developed by decorating Cu-BDC with β-m-phthalocyanine cobalt (β-mCoPc) and systematically investigated by a series of combined analyses of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), N2 physisorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmittance scanning electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). Due to the desirable properties of Cu-BDC and β-mCoPc, such as the conjugated MOFs skeleton, the acidity of the central ion and large specific surface area and porosity of the materials, etc., β-mCoPc/Cu-BDC is successfully applied as the catalyst for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. Significantly, an enhanced catalytic performance especially with a best conversion rate of 61% at an optimal molar ratio of 0.24:1 of β-mCoPc:Cu-BDC can be confirmed for β-mCoPc/Cu-BDC composites catalyst in comparison with catalysis by only β-mCoPc and Cu-BDC. Our work provides an effective strategy via preparing a MOF based composite catalyst to realize the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde.