Catalytic Conversion of 2- Methyl Phenol to Salicylaldehyde Using Manganese-Oxide Doped Cellulose-Derived Carbon Spheres

Abstract

In this study, we report on the hydrothermal synthesis of MnO_x-anchored carbon spheres as an effective catalyst. A new method is employed to prepare carbon spheres from cellulose. Using a solvent-free process, the prepared catalyst is used to convert o-cresol to salicylaldehyde. Methods including XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FE-SEM, EDS mapping, and HR-TEM are used to examine the structural and morphological characteristics of the catalyst. It is confirmed from the BET analysis that doping with MnO_x increases the surface area of the carbon spheres. At standard atmospheric pressure, the conversion of o-cresol to salicylaldehyde is highly selective due to the enhanced surface area and active sites of MnO_x-doped carbon spheres. Under atmospheric pressure, the MnO_x/CS catalysts show excellent efficiency, yielding 96% salicylaldehyde in under 1 h. This study underscores the feasibility of using MnO_x-doped carbon spheres as a robust catalyst for the controlled oxidation of o-cresol. The results show that the catalyst has a great deal of activity and effectiveness, as well as being cheap and reusable, which greatly increases its potential for real-world catalytic applications.