Room temperature direct oxidation of benzene to phenol using hydrogen peroxide in the presence of vanadium-substituted heteropolymolybdates

The liquid-phase direct catalytic oxidation of benzene to phenol was studied at room temperature using vanadium-substituted heteropolyacids as catalysts. A yield of 26% and a selectivity of 91% were obtained. An appropriate molar ratio of H2O2 to benzene was 1.7, and a favorable reaction time was 100 min. H4PMo11VO40 showed the highest activity in term of turnover based on vanadium atom and the highest stability.