Facile synthesis of crystalline nanoporous Mg3(PO4)2 and its application to aerobic oxidation of alcohols

Nanoporous crystalline Mg-3(PO4)(2) material was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method using Poly ethylene glycol (PEG) as a template. The material was thoroughly characterized by XRD, FTIR, DT/TGA, CO2-TPD, SEM, TEM, N-2 sorption and was readily explored for the industrially important oxidation of alcohols at solvent-less liquid phase aerobic conditions. At 100 degrees C and 4 bar pressure, the material successfully produced benzaldehyde (88% selectivity). The material also exhibited reusability and reaction time stability properties desired for industrial applications. The subject gains novelty in terms of the synthesis of nanoporous crystalline Mg3(PO4)2 material as well as its first of its kind application to aerobic oxidation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.