Mn(III)-porphyrin/graphene oxide nanocomposite as an efficient catalyst for the aerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons

In this study, manganese porphyrin was grafted on the surface of graphene oxide nanosheets via covalent bonding to produce a heterogeneous catalyst. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized using X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and thermogravimetric analysis. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was also used to determine the amount of the loaded catalyst. The catalytic efficiency of the immobilized Mn-porphyrin was investigated for the aerobic oxidation of alkenes and saturated alkanes in acetone under mild reaction conditions. The prepared heterogenized catalyst displays superior catalytic performance as compared to the homogeneous catalyst. Moreover, the excellent turnover number (more than 31,767) achieved for the oxidation of styrene indicates the high longevity of the supported catalyst. The catalyst structure is preserved well after the oxidation reaction and is simply reused at least five times, without any significant loss of the catalytic efficiency.