Ti–phenyl nanoparticles encapsulated in mesoporous silica as active and selective catalyst for the oxidation of alkenes

• Ti–phenyl nanoparticles encapsulated in mesoporous silica.
• Catalytic performance for the alkenes oxidations by aqueous H2O2.
• Accessibility to the catalytic active sites by the porous SiO2.
• The effect of phenyl-group on Ti in the styrene oxidation.

Ti–phenyl nanoparticles encapsulated in mesoporous silica (Ti–phenyl@SiO2) were synthesized and used as catalysts in the oxidation of styrene by aqueous H2O2. The Ti–phenyl@SiO2(2) with Si/Ti mol ratio of two exhibited the best catalytic performance for the oxidation of styrene with 92% conversion and 99% selectivity towards benzaldehyde. This superior catalytic activity shown Ti–phenyl@SiO2 catalyst was attributed to the presence of phenyl-group and SiO2 on Ti and the ease in accessibility to the active sites by the porous SiO2.

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