Short communicationHighly efficient N-doped magnetic cobalt-graphene composite for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol

•MCG-700 was prepared by carbonizing the hybrid ZIF-67/GO.•MCG-700 exhibits 89.5% conversion in selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol.•MCG-700 can be magnetically separated and reused several times.

We developed a graphene-directed assembly route to synthesize a hybrid composite by assembling cobalt based framework material ZIF-67 on the graphene oxide (GO). The hybrid composite exhibited excellent catalytic performance in selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol by oxygen molecule with 89.5% conversion and 97.3% benzaldehyde selectivity. The catalyst can be magnetically separated and reused four times without obvious loss in the catalytic activity and selectivity.

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