High-performance recyclable V-N-C catalysts for the direct hydroxylation of benzene to phenol using molecular oxygen

In this report, high-performance recyclable V-N-C catalysts for the direct hydroxylation of benzene to phenol using molecular oxygen were designed and prepared. Up to 12.6% yield of phenol with selectivity as high as 97.8% was achieved employing V-N-C-600 catalyst in acetonitrile. The catalytic recycling tests demonstrated that the V-N-C-600 catalyst exhibited high potential for reusability. The catalysts were characterized systematically by thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N-2 adsorption-desorption, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques and scanning electron microscopy. It was determined that the interaction between surface nitrogen of the supports and reactive vanadium species played an important role in the excellent stability in recycling of the heterogeneous V-N-C catalysts.