MCM-41 supported 12-tungstophosphoric acid mesoporous materials: Preparation, characterization, and catalytic activities for benzaldehyde oxidation with H2O2

•5–45 wt.% HPW/MCM-41 mesoporous materials were prepared and characterized.•Their catalytic activities for benzaldehyde oxidation with H2O2 were studied.•HPW/MCM-41 was approved to be an efficient catalyst.•30 wt.% HPW/MCM-41 was the optimized catalyst under the conditions.

Mesoporous molecular sieves MCM-41 and bulk 12-tungstophosphoric acid (HPW) were synthesized and employed to prepare 5–45 wt.% HPW/MCM-41 mesoporous materials. Characterization results suggested the good dispersion of HPW within MCM-41 when the loading of HPW was less than 35 wt.% and HPW/MCM-41 retained the typical mesopore structure of the supports. The results of the catalytic oxidation of benzaldehyde to benzoic acid with 30% H2O2, in the absence of any organic solvent and co-catalysts, indicated that HPW/MCM-41 was an efficient catalyst and 30 wt.% HPW/MCM-41 sample exhibited the highest catalytic activity among these materials.

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