Preparation of highly dispersed Mn_xO_y/SBA-15 and its catalytic properties

Manganese oxides supported on SBA-15 (Mn_xO_y/SBA-15) were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of SBA-15 with furfuryl alcohol (FA) solution of manganese (11, 111) acetylacetonate or manganese nitrate followed by removal of the carbon resulted from carbonized FA. All the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the supported material MnjOj/SBA-15 maintained high surface area, large pore volume, and uniform pore size, and Mn_xO_y was present as highly dispersed nanoclusters in the well-ordered mesoporous channels of SBA-15. The catalysts, especially those prepared from manganese acetylacetonate, exhibited high activity and selectivity in the liquid-phase oxidation of ethylbenzene using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant.