Catalytic behavior of a silica-supported polystannazane-copper complex for the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde at mild reaction conditions

A very cheap catalyst, a silica-supported polystannazane-copper complex (abbreviated as SiO₂ Sn N Cu) was prepared by the reaction of the silica-supported polystannazane ligand with CuCl₂ in ethanol. The results showed that SiO₂ Sn N Cu can catalyze the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde in high yield at mild conditions, i.e. at 40°C and 1 atm of oxygen. The catalyst could be recovered and could catalyze the reaction repeatedly.