Catalytic Performance of MgO-Supported Co Catalyst for the Liquid Phase Oxidation of Cyclohexane with Molecular Oxygen

A highly-efficient and stable MgO-supported Co (Co/MgO) catalyst was developed for the oxidation of cyclohexane with oxygen. The effects of the Co loading and support on the catalytic activity of the supported Co3O4 catalyst were investigated. The results show that the Co supported on MgO presented excellent activity and stability. When the Co/MgO catalyst with the Co content of 0.2 wt % (0.2%Co/MgO) was used, 12.5% cyclohexane conversion and 74.7% selectivity to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol (KA oil) were achieved under the reaction conditions of 0.5 MPa O-2 and 140 degrees C for 4 h. After being repeatedly used 10 times, its catalytic activity was hardly changed. Further research showed that the high catalytic performance of the 0.2% Co/MgO catalyst is attributed to its high oxygen-absorbing ability and the high ratio between the amount of weak and medium base sites with the help of the synergistic interaction between Co and MgO.