Vanadium-doped phosphomolybdic acids as catalysts for geraniol oxidation with hydrogen peroxide

In this work, vanadium-doped phosphomolybdic acids were evaluated as catalysts in green oxidation routes of terpene alcohols with hydrogen peroxide. A series of phosphomolybdic acids containing a variable load of vanadium cations (i.e., V⁵⁺ ions) were synthesized, and tested as catalysts in geraniol oxidation, the model molecule selected. All the catalysts were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, attenuated diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, scanning electronic microscopy, X-ray dispersive spectroscopy, and n-butylamine potentiometric titration. Various catalysts were evaluated; phosphomolybdic acids with general formulae H₃₊ PMo_12- V O₄₀ (n = 0, 1, 2 and 3), and common Brønsted acids (i.e., H₂SO₄, H₃PO₄, and p-toluene sulfonic acid). Among them, vanadium monosubstituted phosphomolybdic acid was the most active catalyst and selective toward epoxide. The effect of main reaction variables, such as temperature, load catalyst, and reactant stoichiometry was assessed. Evaluating the effect of substrate, it was verified that only allylic alcohols such as geraniol and nerol were successfully epoxidized, demonstrating that this is a hydroxy group-assisted reaction. The effect of vanadium doping on the physicochemical properties of the phosphomolybdic acid catalysts was evaluated and used to explain their catalytic performance.