Highly active InOx/TUD-1 catalyst towards Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone using molecular oxygen and benzaldehyde

• Molecular oxygen is activated by indium dispersed on TUD-1 surfaces.
• Basic sites of catalysts are increasing with increasing indium loading.
• It is highly active towards BVO of cyclohexanone using molecular oxygen and benzaldehyde.
• Polar aprotic solvents benzonitrile, DCE and acetonitrile are highly efficient in achieving optimum performance.

InOx/TUD-1 is prepared by sol–gel method and characterized by different techniques. On the basis of different characterization results it is found that spongy porous InOx/TUD-1 (In/Si = 8/100) matrix contains small crystallite of indium oxide in + 3 oxidation state. InOx/TUD-1 (In/Si = 8/100) catalyst shows good catalytic results for Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones using molecular oxygen and sacrificial reagent benzaldehyde. The cyclohexanone conversion was found 100% with ε-caprolactone selectivity 100% using polar aprotic solvents e.g. dichloroethane, acetonitrile and benzonitrile in the presence of molecular oxygen.

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