Manganese porphyrins/mesoporous amberlyst 15 nanocomposites: Robust biomimetic catalysts for aqueous oxidation of olefins

In this study, the manganese complexes of N‐methylated meso‐tetra(2‐, 3‐, or 4 pyridyl)porphyrins, immobilized into the pores of the sodium salt of mesoporous amberlyst 15 nanoparticles (nanoAmbSO3Na), nanoAmbSO3@MnT(2‐MePy)P (OAc), nanoAmbSO3@MnT(3‐MePy)P (OAc), and nanoAmbSO3@MnT(4‐MePy)P (OAc), were synthesized and characterized by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), nitrogen adsorption/desorption porosimetry analysis, and diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopy. FESEM images revealed a particle size less than ~40 nm for the nanocomposites. The results of BET are in accord with the occupation of the larger pores of the polymer matrix in the case of MnT(2‐MePy)P (OAc) as the most sterically demanding metalloporphyrin of the series, and the smaller pores in the case of the other ones. The immobilized manganese porphyrins were used as catalysts for the oxidation of olefins with sodium periodate in the presence of imidazole (ImH) as the co‐catalyst. The negligible oxidative destructions of the immobilized manganese porphyrins under the oxidative conditions allowed the comparison of the inherent catalytic activity of the metalloporphyrins, decreased as nanoAmbSO3@MnT(4‐MePy)P (OAc) > nanoAmbSO3@MnT(3‐MePy)P (OAc) ≫ nanoAmbSO3@MnT(2‐MePy)P (OAc). Contrary to the general belief that electron‐deficient metalloporphyrins are more efficient catalysts than the electron‐rich ones, the most electron‐deficient metalloporphyrin of the series, that is, nanoAmbSO3@MnT(2‐MePy)P (OAc), showed the lowest catalytic activity. Due to the high oxidative stability of the immobilized manganese porphyrins, ring opening of epoxide competes with the epoxidation reaction to decrease the yield of epoxide at longer reaction times than the optimized one. The manganese complexes of N‐methylated meso‐tetra(2‐, 3‐, or 4‐pyridyl)porphyrins, immobilized into the pores of nano‐structured mesoporous amberlyst 15 were synthesized and used as catalysts for aqueous oxidation of olefins. Due to the high oxidative stability of the catalysts brought about by the polymer, the epoxide ring opening reaction was found to be an important competing reaction, which remarkably lowers the yield of epoxide, in long reaction times.