US EPA

8170830 

Journal Article 

Kinetics of oxidation of benzyl alcohol by molecular oxygen using manganese oxide supported activated carbon with phase transfer catalyst 

Rajendran, P; Divya, T; Bashpa, P; Bijudas, K 

2016 

SPB Pharma Society 

2016-January 

22-27 

English 

Kinetics of the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol using molecular oxygen and manganese oxide supported activated carbon in presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide as phase transfer catalyst in toluene was studied at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopic imaging and X-ray diffraction analysis of the catalytic surface supported the aggregation of highly dispersed MnOx crystalline nanoclusters (a mixture of Mn2O3and MnO) on activated carbon surface. In these highly dispersed manganese oxide species, the coexistence of Mn2+ and Mn3+ were postulated to be the active sites in aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol with molecular oxygen. The presence of phase transfer catalyst found to increase the rate of oxidation considerably. The increased rate of oxidation of benzyl alcohol with molecular oxygen in presence of phase transfer catalyst is may be due to more and easier interaction of the reactants due to the closer proximity of oxygen and alcohol with the manganese species present on the catalyst surface and this reduces the interfacial surface tension. The use of phase transfer catalyst also ensured the smooth progress of the reaction at ambient conditions with high yield. 

Aerobic oxidation; Benzyl alcohol; Kinetics; Manganese oxide supported activated carbon; Molecular; Phase transfer catalyst