Identification of active sites of B/N co-doped nanocarbons in selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol

Developing highly active and stable nanocarbon catalysts for selective oxidation reactions has attracted much attention due to their potential as an alternative to traditional metal-based or noble metal catalysts. However, the nature of active sites and the reaction mechanism of nanocarbon catalysts for oxidation reactions still remains largely unknown, which hinders the rational design and development of highly efficient carbon-based catalysts. Here we report a facile strategy for the synthesis of boron and nitrogen co-doped carbon nanosheet material (BNC), which exhibits excellent catalytic activity with 91% conversion and 99% selectivity in selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol into benzaldehyde, superior to those of traditional carbon materials (oxidized carbon nanotubes, graphites and commercial nanocarbons). Structural characterizations and kinetic measurements are studied to clarify the active site, in which phenolic hydroxyl on BNC is responsible for the production of benzaldehyde. Meanwhile, we put forward a possible reaction mechanism and point out the key factors in determining the reactivity for this reaction. Therefore, the present work provides new insight into structure-function relationships, paving the way for the development of highly efficient nanocarbon catalysts.