Oxidation of o-chloro and o-hydroxy benzyl alcohols catalyzed by copper (II) tetraphenylporphyrin nanoparticles synthesized by mixed solvent method

Tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) and copper tetraphenylporphyrin (CuTPP) were synthesized and characterized by IR, UV-Vis, 1HNMR and 13CNMR. The CuTPP nanoparticles were synthesized by sonication and mixed solvent methods. These nanoparticles were characterized by AFM and SEM images and UV-Vis spectra. The catalytic activity of nanoparticles was investigated by oxidation of o-choloro and o-hydroxy benzyl alcohols in presence of molecular oxygen and isobutyraldehyde. The yields of oxidation of o-hydroxy benzyl alcohol by the two catalysts, CuTPP NPs and CuTPP, are 96.5% and ~ 2%, respectively. It is very obvious that the oxidation at the presence of CuTPP NPs catalyst is very high but selectivity for both reactants is 100%.