Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols over Gold Catalysts: Role of Acid and Base

Gold nanoparticles are deposited on potassium titanate nanowires and used as heterogeneous catalysts in the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol in methanol to methyl benzoate at ambient conditions. The presence of a catalytic amount of base promotes the reaction and the formation of free benzoic acid during the reaction poisons the catalyst. The activity however, of the catalyst can be restored again by addition of base.