Study on Preparation of Ce/Cu‐BTC and Its Catalytic Oxidation Process of P‐Diethyl benzene to P‐Ethyl acetophenone in the Fixed‐Bed Reactor

Abstract A new cerium doped copper hybrid bimetallic organic framework (Ce/Cu‐BTC) was synthesized for oxidizing p‐diethylbenzene (PDEB) to p‐ethylacetophenone (EAP) in the batch and fixed‐bed reactors. The oxidization mechanism for PDEB to EAP over Ce/Cu‐BTC was investigated. Results show Ce/Cu‐BTC is a mischcrystal mixture of Ce‐BTC and Cu‐BTC, the addition of Ce can increase the crystal phase defects and enlarge the pore size of Cu‐BTC. The conversion rate of PDEB is above 95 % and the yield of EAP are stable at 75 % in the Ce/Cu‐BTC fixed bed reactor. A mixture of EAP, 1‐(4‐ethylphenyl)‐1‐ethanol (EPEA) and p‐diacetylbenzene (PDAB) can be detected in the outlet of the reactor. The PDEB with Ce 4+ /Cu 2+ , H 2 O 2 and bromine free radical generate EPEA and EAP, the EAP is then further oxidized to PDAB. The mischcrystal structure of Ce/Cu‐BTC is beneficial to improve the catalytic oxidation activity and reaction rate of PDEB to EAP.