A new kind of hierarchical porous zirconium phosphonate: preparation and application on oxidation catalysis

A kind of new zirconium phosphonate material ZrDP with multilevel porous structure and high surface area (about 408.6 m 2 /g) was synthesized by the reaction between 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetrayl-tetrakis(methylphosphonic acid) (DOTMP) and Zr 4+ ions in acidic water solution. Micropores with diameter about 0.64 nm from 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane in DOTMP and the pores with diameter about 1.68 nm from structure were found in the material. Some metallic ions were coordinated on the skeleton of ZrDP to form composites M@ZrDP and Cu(II)@ZrDP exhibited high catalytic activity in the selective oxidation reaction from benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde with 90.2% selectivity.