title: Simple and effective synthesis of methoxy-dimethylbenzene from electrochemical oxidation of p-xylene in methanol solvent catalyzed by SO(4)(2-)/ZrO(2)-M(x)O(y).
abstract: A series of composite solid superacid catalysts SO(4)(2-)/ZrO(2)-M(x)O(y) (M=Ti, Ni, Si) were prepared and investigated by means of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All catalysts exhibit good catalytic activity in the electrochemical reaction of p-xylene with methanol assisted with a pair of porous graphite plane electrodes and the selectivity of main products higher than 90% were observed. In particular, SO(4)(2-)/ZrO(2)-SiO(2) catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity. According to the experimental results, a possible free radical reaction mechanism confirmed by XPS and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectra was proposed. It may be concluded that a simple and feasible electrochemical catalytic oxidation reaction at room temperature and standard atmosphere may be possible.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Energy Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fengtao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongzhu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012997:Solvents; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013431:Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; D013431:Sulfates; D014992:Xylenes; C031286:4-xylene; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide; D000432:Methanol