Highly active mesoporous chromium silicate catalysts in side-chain oxidation of alkylaromatics

Abstract

We approach a green method in the production of alkylaromatic ketones over hexagonally ordered mesoporous CrSBA-15 catalysts, which were used, in green routes, in the liquid-phase oxidation of alkylaromatics. A promising chemical treatment method was used with ammonium acetate solution to remove the toxic nature of non-framework chromium oxides deposited on the surface of calcined CrSBA-15(8), and the obtained green mesoporous CrSBA-15(8) catalyst was used to find its catalytic activity while the recyclability of mesoporous CrSBA-15 catalysts was also studied. Particularly, the mesoporous CrSBA-15 catalysts synthesized with a variety of chromium contents were extensively used in the production of acetophenone (APO) with various reaction parameters. On the basis of all catalytic results, the mesoporous CrSBA-15(8) catalyst produced a higher selectivity of alkylaromatic ketones (76-100%) as compared to other CrSBA-15 catalysts and was found to be a highly active, recyclable and promising heterogeneous catalyst for selective synthesis of alkylaromatic ketones. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012.