MnO₂ nanoparticles supported on g-C₃N₄-M for the selective oxidation of cumene to 2-phenyl-2-propanol

Abstract

The synergistic interaction between carbon materials and metals has been widely utilized in industrial selective hydrocarbon oxidation. In this study, a pronounced synergistic effect between g-C₃N₄-M and MnO₂ nanoparticles was observed, which significantly promoted the oxidation of cumene, facilitated the decomposition of cumene hydroperoxide (CHP), and enhanced the selectivity toward 2-phenyl-2-propanol (PP). Specifically, the 30-MnO₂/g-C₃N₄-M catalyst achieved a cumene conversion of 73.83% with a PP selectivity of 69.61%, representing the most efficient performance among all investigated catalysts. The structural characteristics of the synthesized catalysts were systematically analyzed by SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, and XPS. Furthermore, gas chromatography confirmed PP as the predominant reaction product. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the decomposition of CHP constitutes a crucial step in the cumene oxidation process.

Keywords

cumene / oxidation / g-C₃N₄-M / MnO₂ / 2-phenyl-2-propanol / melamine

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