A Highly Efficient Bifunctional Catalyst CoO<i>_x</i>/tri-g-C₃N₄ for One-Pot Aerobic Oxidation–Knoevenagel Condensation Reaction

Abstract

A highly efficient bifunctional catalyst of an s-triazine-based carbon-nitride-supported cobalt oxide is developed for the aerobic oxidation–Knoevenagel condensation tandem reaction of benzyl alcohol and malononitrile, whereby 96.4% benzyl alcohol conversion with nearly 100% selectivity towards benzylmalononitrile can be obtained in 6 h at 80 °C. The excellent catalytic performance derives from the high basicity of carbon nitride and strong redox ability of Co species induced by carbon nitride. The catalyst is also quite stable and can be reused without any regeneration treatment, whose product yield is only an 11.5% reduction after four runs.

Keywords

• one-pot reaction
• aerobic oxidation
• Knoevenagel condensation
• cobalt oxide
• carbon nitride