Enhanced Mn-Co synergies of manganese-cobalt spinel oxide for efficient aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol

The synthesis of manganese-cobalt oxide with outstanding activity and selectivity toward benzyl alcohol oxidation using air as oxidant is reported in this work. The as-synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 physisorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Temperature Programmed Reduction/Desorption/Oxidation techniques. The catalysts with different Mn/Co ratio show obviously different morphologies and structures. The Mn1Co2 with spinel MnCo2O4 structure exhibits the lowest activation energy, as well as the best performances toward benzyl alcohol oxidation. It is considered that excellent performances is related to the good reducibility and reactivity of oxygen species, oxygen activation ability, in virtue of the close Mn-Co interaction with in the MnCo2O4 structure.