Synthesis of benzaldehyde with high selectivity using immobilized AuNPs and AuNPs@zeolite in a catalytic microfluidic system. Issue 17 (16th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rao, Xi; Abou Hassan, Ali; Guyon, Cédric; Martinez Ruiz, Erick Osvaldo; Tatoulian, Michaël; Ognier, Stephanie
• Is Part Of: Lab on a chip. Volume 19:Issue 17(2019)
• Page Start: 2866
• Page End: 2873
• Publication Date: 2019-07-16
• Subjects: Miniature electronic equipment -- Periodicals; Combinatorial chemistry -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; 543.0813
• DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00386j
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-0197

Abstract

Abstract : The immobilized AuNPs showed a benzaldehyde selectivity of 94% with benzyl alcohol conversion of 20% in water medium. In comparison, the immobilized AuNPs@zeolite showed a higher catalytic performance (selectivity >99%, conversion = 42.4%). Abstract : In the present work, gold based catalysts were synthesized and immobilized on the surface of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) microreactors. The microreactors were subsequently applied in a homemade microfluidic system for synthesizing benzaldehyde by oxidation of benzyl alcohol in water medium. The Au nanoparticles (NPs) immobilized on the inner surface of the microchannel showed a very high selectivity (94%) for benzaldehyde, while zeolite NPs exhibited only an adsorption feature to this reaction. Moreover, the results showed that the AuNP catalytic activity was maintained for at least 9 hours. However, the obtained conversion with AuNPs was only 20%, indicating a relatively low productivity. In comparison, AuNPs assembled on the surface of zeolite NPs (AuNPs@zeolite) and immobilized in the microchannel showed the best catalytic performance, as the highest benzaldehyde selectivity (>99%) with a relatively high benzyl alcohol conversion of 42.4% was achieved under the same conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example demonstrating the use of AuNP or AuNP@zeolite catalysts in a microsystem performing such high selectivity for benzaldehyde in water medium.