Immobilized Vitamin B12 within nanoreactors of MCM-41 as selective catalyst for oxidation of organic substrates

The immobilized Vitamin B12 (Vit-B12) within the nanoreactors of MCM-41 as molecular sieves was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), FT-IR, chemical analysis and nitrogen adsorption–desorption. XRD and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms showed that the well ordered hexagonal structure of MCM-41 is presented and surface area, pore volumes and pore diameters decrease after immobilization of Vit-B12 within nanoreactors of MCM-41. It was found that Vit-B12/MCM-41 successfully catalyzes the oxygen transfer of tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) to norbornene and trans-2-hexene-1-ol and formation of the corresponding epoxides with 90% reactivity and 100% selectivity. Moreover, cyclohexane, cyclohexene and cyclohexanol are converted to the corresponding alcohols and ketones. On the other hand, styrene undergoes oxidative degradation with the formation of benzaldehyde and benzoic acid.

The immobilized Vitamin B12 (Vit-B12) within the nanoreactors of MCM-41 was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis and nitrogen adsorption–desorption. It was found that Vit-B12/MCM-41 selectively catalyzes the oxidation of norbornene or trans-2-hexene-1-ol and cyclohexane with t-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) to the corresponding epoxides and a mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, respectively. Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide