A new strategy for the selective oxidation of alcohols catalyzed by a polyoxometalate-based hybrid surfactant in biphasic systems

A hybrid surfactant with catalytic oxidation activity and interfacial activity was prepared via a combination of the polyoxometalate [PW11O39](7-) anion and an alkoxysilane by a covalent bond. The organic-inorganic hybrid surfactant can effectively emulsify an alcohol/water biphase system, promote the alcohol oxidation reaction by increasing the oil-water interface area, and exhibit better catalytic oxidation activity than the homogeneous polyoxometallate. The demulsification of the emulsion can be achieved by increasing the temperature, and the catalyst can be recycled several times with no apparent loss of catalytic performance.