Issue 14, 2024

Sunlight-driven and gram-scale vanillin production via Mn-defected γ-MnO2 catalyst in aqueous environment

Abstract

The production of vanillin from biomass offers a sustainable route for synthesizing daily-use chemicals. However, achieving sunlight-driven vanillin synthesis through H2O activation in an aqueous environment poses challenges due to the high barrier of H2O dissociation. In this study, we have successfully developed an efficient approach for gram-scale vanillin synthesis in an aqueous reaction, employing Mn-defected γ-MnO2 as a photocatalyst at room temperature. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the presence of defective Mn species (Mn3+) significantly enhances the adsorption of vanillyl alcohol and H2O onto the surface of the γ-MnO2 catalyst. Hydroxyl radical (˙OH) species are formed through H2O activation with the assistance of sunlight, playing a pivotal role as oxygen-reactive species in the oxidation of vanillyl alcohol into vanillin. The Mn-defected γ-MnO2 catalyst exhibits exceptional performance, achieving up to 93.4% conversion of vanillyl alcohol and 95.7% selectivity of vanillin under sunlight. Notably, even in a laboratory setting during the daytime, the Mn-defected γ-MnO2 catalyst demonstrates significantly higher catalytic performance compared to the dark environment. This work presents a highly effective and promising strategy for low-cost and environmentally benign vanillin synthesis.

Graphical abstract: Sunlight-driven and gram-scale vanillin production via Mn-defected γ-MnO2 catalyst in aqueous environment

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
24 Oct 2023
Accepted
15 Jan 2024
First published
19 Feb 2024
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2024,15, 5368-5375

Sunlight-driven and gram-scale vanillin production via Mn-defected γ-MnO2 catalyst in aqueous environment

Q. Ke, Y. Zhang, C. Wan, J. Tang, S. Li, X. Guo, M. Han, T. Hamada, S. M. Osman, Y. Kang and Y. Yamauchi, Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 5368 DOI: 10.1039/D3SC05654F

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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