posted on 2020-03-17, 15:33authored byXinyu Liu, Min Zhang, Zhaohui Li
CoOx-MC (MC = mesoporous carbon), with
CoOx nanoparticles of ca. 25 nm well distributed
on mesoporous carbon, was synthesized by calcination of a Co/polymer
framework precursor prepared via ion exchange between Co2+ in [Co(NH3)6]2+ and H+ in the polymeric gel. The as-synthesized CoOx-MC exhibited superior performance for the selective oxidation
of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic
acid (FDCA) in water using O2 as the oxidant at 80 °C,
with 98.3% of 5-HMF converted in 30 h and a yield of 95.3% to desirable
FDCA. The turnover frequency (TOF) for the formation of FDCA over
CoOx-MC was determined to be 2.22 h–1, a performance superior to those non-noble metal
catalysts ever reported for the selective oxidation of 5-HMF to produce
FDCA. This study not only provides an efficient, cost-saving, and
environmentally friendly catalytic system for the production of FDCA
from 5-HMF but also highlights the great potential of mesoporous carbon
as the support in fabricating highly active catalytic systems.