Green alcohol oxidation on palladium catalysts supported on amphiphilic hybrid carbon nanotubes

• Amphiphilic carbon nanotubes were synthesized and characterized.
• Pd catalysts supported on amphiphilic CNTs are active and stable for alcohol oxidation reaction using molecular oxygen in the liquid phase.
• Ethanol can be oxidized to acetic acid on such catalysts using molecular oxygen in the liquid phase.

In this work, unique amphiphilic magnetic hybrid carbon nanotubes that contain on the same nanotube two different sections: a hydrophobic undoped part connected to a hydrophilic N-doped segment are synthesized and used as supports for palladium catalysts. These new Pd-supported catalysts have been used in the alcohol oxidation reaction using molecular oxygen in the liquid phase. The oxidation of 2-heptanol produces selectively the ketone, the oxidation of benzyl alcohol is very selective towards the aldehyde, and ethanol oxidation produces selectively acetic acid.

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