Catalytic oxidation by Fe- and Cu-doped molybdovanadophosphoric acids

P. VILLABRILLE, G. ROMANELLI, L. GASSA, C. CÁCERES, P. VÁZQUEZ

USA

Congreso; XX Nort American Catalysis Society Meeting; 2007

Nort American Catalytic Society

Because of their excellent characteristics, bulk heteropolyacids with Keggin structure (HPA) and their salts are widely used in industrial catalysis. Heteropolyacids having mixed addenda atoms such as V and Mo are attractive for the molecular design. It is important to mention that the polyanion structures are maintained at low-temperature reactions. On the other hand, it is important to emphasize that the quinone derivatives play an important role in biosystems. Natural products having a benzoquinone structure show biologically important properties such as cardiovascular, antitumoral, antibacterial, antigerminative and antiprotozoan activities. Furthermore, benzoquinones are useful fine chemicals in organic industry. For example, 2,3,5-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone is a key intermediate in the production of Vitamin E. In the present paper, we report the preparation of Fe- and Cudoped Keggin heteropolyacids where one Mo was substituted by one V, and their characterization by means of FT-IR,31P-NMR, DRS, XRD, thermal analysis, potentiometric titration, and electrochemical measurements. In addition, the activity of the synthesized catalysts for the oxidation reaction 2,6-dimethylphenol to 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone, using H2O2 as oxidant at room temperature, was tested.