Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2011, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (7): 1166-1172.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(10)60226-4

• Research papers • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A Novel Magnetically Recyclable Catalyst: Molybdenum Oxide Supported on Hydroxyapatite-encapsulated γ-Fe2O3 for Olefin Epoxidation

YUAN Chengyuan1,2, ZHANG Yan1, CHEN Jing1,*   

  1. 1State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China; 2Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2011-02-21 Revised:2011-03-18 Online:2011-07-18 Published:2014-11-28

Abstract: Hydroxyapatite-encapsulated magnetic γ-Fe2O3 (HAP-γ-Fe2O3) was synthesized and used as catalyst support. Molybdenum oxide nanoparticles were supported on HAP-γ-Fe2O3 by incipient wetness impregnation (MoOx/HAP-γ-Fe2O3). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy characterization demonstrated the formation of γ-Fe2O3 nanocrystallites with a mean diameter of 1–3 nm within the HAP matrix. The molybdenum oxide dispersed on the surface of HAP-γ-Fe2O3 showed good catalytic activities for the epoxidation of various olefins with tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant. The magnetism of MoOx/HAP-γ-Fe2O3 provided a convenient route for the separation of the catalyst from the reaction mixture by a magnet. The catalyst was recycled at least five times without appreciable loss of catalytic activity.

Key words: hydroxyapatite, epoxidation, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, supported molybdenum catalyst, magnetic separation