In the quest to combat global warming, traditional thermal chemistry processes are giving way to selective photocatalysis, an eco-friendly approach that operates under milder conditions, using benign solvents like water. Benzaldehyde, a versatile compound with applications spanning agroindustry, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, serves as a fundamental building block for various fine chemicals. This study aims at enhancing benzaldehyde production sustainability by utilizing photooxidation of benzyl alcohol. Gold nanoparticle-based catalysts are renowned for their exceptional efficiency in oxidizing bio-based molecules. In this research, Au nanoparticles were anchored onto three distinct supports: TiO2, ZrO2, and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). The objective was to investigate the influence of the support material on the selective photocatalysis of benzyl alcohol. In the preparation of g-C3N4, three different precursors—melamine, urea, and a 50:50 mixture of both—were chosen to analyze their impact on catalyst performance. After 4 h of irradiation at 365 nm, operating under acidic conditions (pH = 2), the Au photocatalyst on graphitic carbon nitride support synthesized using urea precursor (Au@g-C3N4(urea)) displayed the optimal balance between conversion (75%) and selectivity (85%). This formulation outperformed the benchmark Au@TiO2, which achieved a similar conversion rate (80%) but exhibited lower selectivity (55%).
Full Text Finder