Coumarin-surfactant modified polyoxometalate as highly efficient catalysts for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol with air.

Two novel polyoxometalate-based catalysts were prepared by modifying Keggin POM H 4 PMo 11 VO 40 with a coumarin-surfactant through electrostatic interactions. The results indicate that (Coumarin) 3 HPMo 11 VO 40 exhibits excellent catalytic activity in the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol using air as the oxidant, where the conversion of benzyl alcohol is 99%, and the selectivity for benzaldehyde is 100%. The excellent catalytic performance can be attributed to π-π* conjugate effects with the reactant, and the structural characteristics of the large BET specific surface area and pore size of the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]