Nanoporous carbons derived from MOFs as metal-free catalysts for selective aerobic oxidations

A new kind of metal-free catalyst comprised of highly graphitized N-doped nanoporous carbons from direct carbonization of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) turns out to be an excellent metal-free catalyst for a series of liquid-phase oxidation reactions including aerobic oxidations of cyclohexane and toluene as well as oxidative coupling of amines.