Degradation of chlorinated phenols in water in the presence of H2O2 and water-soluble μ-nitrido diiron phthalocyanine

• μ-Nitrido diiron phthalocyanine is a better catalyst for the oxidative degradation of chlorinated phenols than mononuclear complex.
• Almost complete conversion of 2,6-dichlorophenol and total organic carbon removal up to 43% was obtained.
• Diiron and iron catalysts operate according to different mechanisms.
• Mechanism of the cleavage of aromatic cycle and mineralization is proposed.

Efficient disposal of pollutants is a key problem in the environmental context. In particular, chlorinated aromatic compounds are recalcitrant to biodegradation and conventional treatment methods. Iron phthalocyanines were previously shown to be efficient catalysts for the oxidative degradation of chlorinated phenols considered as priority pollutants. We have recently discovered μ-nitrido diiron phthalocyanines as powerful oxidation catalysts. Herein, we evaluate these emerging catalysts in the oxidation of chlorinated phenols in comparison with conventional mononuclear complex. Catalytic performance of iron tetrasulfophthalocyanine (FePcS) and corresponding μ-nitrido dimer [(FePcS)2N] have been compared in the oxidation of chlorinated phenols by hydrogen peroxide in water. The oxidative degradation of 2,6-dichlorophenol (DCP) and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) has been studied. The (FePcS)2N exhibited better catalytic properties than mononuclear FePcS in terms of conversion and mineralization (transformation of organic chlorine to Cl− and decrease of total organic carbon due to the formation of CO2). Kinetics of the DCP oxidation indicated that different reaction mechanisms are involved in the presence of FePcS and (FePcS)2N. The high catalytic activity of (FePcS)2N in the degradation and mineralization of chlorinated phenols make μ-nitrido diiron phthalocyanines promising catalyst to apply also in environmental remediation.

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