B/N co-doped carbon derived from the sustainable chitin for C H bond oxidation

Abstract Boron and nitrogen co-doped carbon materials were synthesized by using sustainable chitin as precursor and boric acid as recyclable template. The carbon product possessing high surface area (1100–1400 m2/g) and micro- and mesoporous structure exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the oxidation of benzylic C H bond of ethylbenzene. Characterizations demonstrate that there are boron nitride (BN) bonds in carbon product achieved at higher calcining temperature. Experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the boron nitride domains locating in the carbocatalyst are essential to its catalytic activity. B dopants could anchor active oxygen-containing groups and then transfer oxygen atoms to substrate during the whole catalytic process.