N -hydroxyphthalimide incorporated onto Cu-BTC metal organic frameworks: An novel catalyst for aerobic oxidation of toluene

N -hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) incorporated onto a Cu-based metal–organic framework [NHPI/Cu-BTC (BTC:1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate)] was prepared and used as a heterogeneous catalyst for aerobic oxidation of toluene under solvent-free conditions. Cu-BTC was synthesized through a hydrothermal and a solvothermal method with modification. The NHPI/Cu-BTC catalysts were synthesized by an impregnation method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and nitrogen adsorption. Results show NHPI was successfully incorporated onto Cu-BTC metal organic frameworks. The NHPI/Cu-BTC showed high catalytic performance in the aerobic oxidation of toluene. In the presence of 1 mol% NHPI/Cu-BTC and absence of any co-catalyst or co-solvent, the toluene oxidation was conducted at 110 °C for 2 h with 7.6 % conversion and more than 50 % benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol selectivity. The structure stability of the catalysts after recovery was also studied.