Synthesis of CuII/ZIF-8 Metal-organic Framework Catalyst and Its Application in the Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols

The three-dimensional copper-doped zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-8(CuII/ZIF-8) was prepared by a metal ion exchange process, using reaction of three different copper salts, zinc nitrate hexahydrate[Zn(NO)3·6H2O] and 2-methylimidazole(2-MeIM) under nitrogen atmosphere at the room temperature. The TEM and PXRD results indicated that the morphology of CuII/ZIF-8 was rhombic dodecahedron and the structure was intact after copper was doped into the porous ZIF-8. The synthesized Cu(NO3)2/ZIF-8 heterogeneous catalyst showed an excellent activity for the aerobic oxidation of primary alcohols employing molecular oxygen as oxidant. Moreover, the Cu(NO3)2/ZIF-8 heterogeneous catalyst can cycled 15 times without leaching of copper.