Sulfonated carbon catalyzed oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids by hydrogen peroxide

Sulfonated carbon as a strong and stable solid acid catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance in various acid-catalyzed reactions. Here, sulfonated carbon, as catalyst for oxidation reaction, was prepared via the carbonization of starch followed by sulfonation with concentrated sulfuric acid. N₂ physisorption, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence and acid-base titration were used to characterize the obtained materials. The catalytic activity of sulfonated carbon was studied in the oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids using 30 wt% H₂O₂ as oxidant. This oxidation protocol works well for various aldehydes including aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. The sulfonated carbon can be recycled for three times without obvious loss of activity.