Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones with H 2 O 2 over mesoporous Sn- and Zr-BEA zeolites

A set of Sn- and Zr-BEA zeolites was obtained using Gemini-type surfactants as SDA and hierarchical BEA nanosheets as seeds. The prepared catalysts were tested in the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones with hydrogen peroxide resulting into commercially valuable monomers. The highest conversion of cyclohexanone (70.7%) and selectivity towards the desired ε-caprolactone (> 99%) were achieved over mesoporous Sn-BEA_np_75 possessing the highest concentration of Lewis acid sites and comparatively low fraction of extra framework Sn 4 + species.