Selective catalytic oxidation of sulfonamides for targeted hydroxybenzene sulfonate production via modulating surface complexes on Mn-doped Co3O4

This study presents a novel nonradical catalytic oxidation system for targeted p-hydroxybenzene sulfonate (PHS) production from sulfonamides (SAs). A positive external electric field was applied to induce the in-situ activation of O 2 on Mn-doped Co 3 O 4 surface, with Mn-doping used to manipulate the reactivity of surface complexes. Theoretical simulations predicted CoMn-peroxides as thermodynamically favorable candidates for the targeted PHS production. Experimental validation achieved PHS yields of 18.4–32.6 % from five typical SA compounds. While 1 O 2 also actively participated in the oxidation of SAs, disruption of the 1 O 2 oxidation pathway significantly enhanced the PHS yields to 47.6–50.3 %. The intensity of electric field regulated the O 2 activation pathways by influencing the stability of CoMn-peroxides. This nonradical catalytic oxidation system demonstrated excellent catalyst reusability and environmental robustness for energy-efficient SAs removal and PHS recovery. These findings provide new insights into leveraging nonradical = pathways to advance catalytic oxidation technology for sustainable water management.