Anchoring Platinum Nanoparticles onto Oxygen Vacancy-Modified Mixed Metal Oxides for Selective Oxidation Reaction of Aromatic Alcohols

Directed transformation of organic compounds under mild conditions, especially alcohol oxidation, presents great challenges in green chemistry. Herein, we report a platinum nanoparticle catalyst supported on zinc–gallium mixed metal oxides (denoted as Pt/ZnGa–MMOs), which displays superior catalytic activity for the selective oxidation reaction of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde (conversion: >99%; selectivity: >99%; reaction rate: 125 mmol benzyl alcohol g Pt –1 h –1 ). Both experimental studies [X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS)] and DFT calculations reveal the formation of an interfacial structure (Zn 2+δ –O v –Ga 3−δ ) on the ZnGa–MMOs support. Moreover, in situ Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic analysis demonstrates that the Pt species acts as an intrinsic active center to promote the oxidation of the carbon–oxygen bond in the benzyl alcohol molecule, with the formation of the benzaldehyde. This work provides an effective strategy for the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts via constructing the support oxygen vacancy to anchor metal sites toward selective oxidation reactions.