Oxidation of ethylbenzene to styrene oxide in the presence of cellulose-supported Pd magnetic nanoparticles

Palladium and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were deposited on N-(2-aminoethyl)acetamide-functionalized cellulose for use in a catalytic reaction. The catalyst was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and transmission electron microscopy, and applied in the oxidation reaction of ethylbenzene at 100 degrees C using H2O2. Styrene oxide was obtained as the sole product of the oxidation reaction during 24h. This reaction has some advantages such as one-pot transformation of ethylbenzene to styrene oxide, high yield, excellent selectivity and magnetically recoverable catalyst. Also, the recovered catalyst could be used in the oxidation reaction four times without decrease in yield. Copyright (c) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.