Oxo-vanadium (IV) phthalocyanine implanted onto the modified SBA-15 as a catalyst for direct hydroxylation of benzene to phenol in acetonitrile-water medium: A kinetic study

[Display omitted] •The high phenol selectivity was achieved over TAVOPc@Cl-SBA using molecular oxygen as a green oxidant.•The mixture of CH3CN-H2O was used as the best solvent which can serve as an axial ligand and lead to notable reaction progress.•Implantation of Schiff bases onto the mesoporous supports provides a guidance to design of effective catalysts for selective oxidation reactions. Direct hydroxylation of benzene using molecular oxygen is an engaged approach to yield of phenol as a valuable compound with numerous applications. In the present research, highly selective benzene hydroxylation was successfully carried out in the presence of O2 using vanadyl phthalocyanine implanted onto the chloro-functionalized SBA-15 as a robust catalyst. Also, the effect of water as a co-solvent was investigated and it was concluded that the mixed solvent (CH3CN-H2O) can play a remarkable role in the development of the reaction progress due to its ability to act as an axial ligand. Then, the oxidation of benzene using CH3CN and CH3CN-H2O was kinetically investigated.