Exceptional activity for direct synthesis of phenol from benzene over PMoV@MOF with O2

Three novel catalysts named as PMo12-nVn@HKUST-1 (n=1-3) were designed and obtained through encapsulating vanadium-doped Keggin polyoxometalates (POMs) PMo12-n V-n into the framework HKUST-1 (also denoted as Cu-3(BTC)(2), MOF-199). The character structure of PMo12-n V-n@HKUST-1 was elucidated through the single crystal XRD of PMo11V@HKUST-1. Reaction rate could be greatly enhanced by PMo12-n V-n@HKUST-1 in liquid hydroxylation of benzene with O-2. Only in 20 min, a high TOF (442 h(-1)) of PMo9V3@HKUST-1 was obtained. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.