A Perspective on Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Selective Oxidation of Alcohols

Selective oxidation of higher alcohols using heterogeneous catalysts is an important reaction in the synthesis of fine chemicals with added value. Though the process for primary alcohol oxidation is industrially established, there is still a lack of fundamental understanding considering the complexity of the catalysts and their dynamics under reaction conditions, especially when higher alcohols and liquid-phase reaction media are involved. Additionally, new materials should be developed offering higher activity, selectivity, and stability. This can be achieved by unraveling the structure-performance correlations of these catalysts under reaction conditions. In this regard, researchers are encouraged to develop more advanced characterization techniques to address the complex interplay between the solid surface, the dissolved reactants, and the solvent. In this mini-review, we report some of the most important approaches taken in the field and give a perspective on how to tackle the complex challenges for different approaches in alcohol oxidation while providing insight into the remaining challenges.