Solvent free oxidation of ethylbenzene over Ce-BTC MOF

Abstract

A cerium based metal–organic framework (MOF) Ce-BTC (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) was synthesized using a solvothermal route and was characterized via powder XRD, BET, SEM, TGA, DRS-UV–vis, FT-IR, and ESR analyses. Oxidative catalytic performance of the synthesized catalyst was evaluated using ethylbenzene oxidation under optimum conditions. The results obtained suggest that the catalyst was efficient in the oxidation of EB with 84.99% conversion and 95.63% selectivity.