Iron(III) chloride supported on MCM-41 molecular sieve as a catalyst for the liquid-phase oxidation of phenol

FeCl(3) was supported on MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve via adsorption or coordination bonding and by embedding as an anionic constituent of covalently immobilized imidazolium ionic liquid (IL). The synthesized materials were characterized by N(2)-BET, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, (1)H, (13)C, and (29)Si NMR, and DSC-TG. All of the catalysts were shown to be active for the liquid-phase oxidation of phenol by hydrogen peroxide. Supported FeCl(3) species present as tetrachloroferrate counterions of immobilized IL are the most resistant to iron leaching.