Mesoporous chitosan‐immobilized iron tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin as a model of cytochrome P‐450 enzyme for oxidation of ethylbenzene

Mesoporous chitosan‐grafted iron tetra (4‐carboxyphenyl) porphyrin catalyst (Fe TCPP/mesp‐CTS) was prepared and investigated as a practical model for the nano‐cavity and coordinate regulation‐catalysis(CRC) function in cytochrome P‐450 enzyme. Fe TCPP/mesp‐CTS was characterized by X‐ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetry (TG), Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy(UV‐Vis), Ultraviolet–visible– Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV‐DRS), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. The catalytic activity of Fe TCPP/mesp‐CTS for ethylbenzene oxidation was investigated and it was proved to be a better catalyst than Fe TCPP/macp‐CTS based on the ethylbenzene conversion, turnover numbers(TON), and the reusability. These results are attributed to the mesocavity and CRC of amino group in Fe TCPP/mesp‐CTS. The highest ethylbenzene conversion and yields of ketone and alcohol were 24.4% and 18.2%, respectively.