Surface-modified SiO2 loaded with copper for the catalytic oxidation of tetralin

A novel silica gel (SG)-loaded copper ion catalyst, Cu–NH₂-SG, was synthesized using acetic copper-modified aminofunctionalized SG. The fabricated catalyst was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TGA, N₂ adsorption–desorption, XPS, and ICP-OES. In the oxidation of tetralin using tert -butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant, the Cu–NH₂-SG catalyst achieved a tetralin conversion rate of 94.64% and a selectivity of 90.10% for α-tetralone under optimized conditions. The catalyst is easy to separate and recycle, and it maintained high catalytic activity over three cycles of use. These results show that the catalyst has potential applications for green and sustainable development.