Efficient allylic oxidation of cyclohexene catalyzed by trimetallic hybrid nano-mixed oxide (Ru/Co/Ce)

[Display omitted] ▶ The RuO 2/Co 3O 4/CeO 2 nanoparticles (THNO) were synthesized and characterized. ▶ This nano-catalyst was used for oxidation of cyclohexene. ▶ Cyclohexene was oxidized over THNO to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketone as the major product. The paper deals with the reactivity of RuO 2/Co 3O 4/CeO 2 nanoparticles prepared by a reverse micelle approach, which was precipitated by alkali-hydrolysis of RuCl 3, Co(NO 3) 2 and Ce(NO 3) 2 and transformed into RuO 2/Co 3O 4/CeO 2 catalyst by calcinations in air at 400 °C. The catalysts were investigated with XRD, TEM, XPS, and BET techniques and were tested for oxidation of cyclohexene. The nano-catalyst exhibited high catalytic activities for the oxidation of cyclohexene to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketone under heterogeneous condition. In order to obtain maximum conversion of cyclohexene, the reaction parameters, like reaction temperature and time, were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, a maximum of 97.7% cyclohexene conversion and 95% selectivity, was achieved with RuO 2/Co 3O 4/CeO 2 mixed oxide nano-catalyst.