Growth of zinc hexacyanoferrate nanocubes and their potential as heterogeneous catalyst for solvent-free oxidation of benzyl alcohol

• Published in: Journal of molecular catalysis. A, Chemical Chemical, 2009-04, Vol.303 (1), p.60-64
• Main Authors: Ali, S.R., Bansal, V.K., Khan, A.A., Jain, S.K., Ansari, M.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Benzaldehyde; Catalysis; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Metal hexacyanoferrates; Oxidation of benzyl alcohol; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Zinc hexacyanoferrate nanocube
• ISSN: 1381-1169; 1873-314X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molcata.2008.12.020

Zinc hexacyanoferrate nanocubes with size ranging from 63 to 164 nm have been synthesized and characterized. Catalytic activity of nanocubic zinc hexacyanoferrate has been studied for solvent-free oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde using H 2O 2 as oxidant. Zinc hexacyanoferrate nanocubes have been synthesized following an extremely simple method and characterized by elemental analysis, thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction techniques. Field emission scanning electron microscopic image showed that it consisted of sharp cubic particles with size ranging from 83 to 164 nm. Catalytic activity of nanocubic zinc hexacyanoferrate has been studied for solvent-free oxidation of benzyl alcohol using H 2O 2 as oxidant under the optimum conditions of certain parameters such as benzyl alcohol to H 2O 2 molar ratio, the amount of catalyst, reaction time and temperature.