Colloidal gold immobilized on mesoporous silica as a highly active and selective catalyst for styrene epoxidation with H2O2

•Synthesis of Au suspensions with different particle sizes by different methods•Immobilization of Au nanoparticles in several silica frameworks•Active materials in the oxidation of alkenes using H2O2 as green oxidant•Highly active and selective catalysts under mild reaction conditions

Colloidal gold nanoparticles were synthesized by different procedures affording suspensions with two different mean sizes (2 and 5 nm). Au catalysts were prepared by sol immobilization onto several silica frameworks with different 2D and 3D mesoporosities. The catalysts were tested in styrene oxidation reactions showing excellent efficiency and selectivity. The effect of nanoparticle size and mesoporous framework on the physical and catalytic properties of the final materials was studied. The most selective catalyst was prepared from the 5 nm Au nanoparticles and the more interconnected silica framework (3D mesoporosity).

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